In case of reply the Ghana Prisons Service

number and date REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS

this letter should be MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON
quoted P. O. BOX 125
ANKAFUL - CAPE COAST

REF. NO. AMX/94/PRU/VOL.1/19/ 30TH SEPTEMBER, 2019

NEWS RELEASE

ALLEGATIONS LEVELED AGAINST THE GHANA PRISONS SERVICE BY CP. EMMANUEL

EMEKA, 130 YEARS IHL, CONVICT PRISONER AT ANKAFUL MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON

RESPONSE OF:

The attention of the Central Regional Command of the Ghana Prisons Service has been drawn to allegations by
one, Emmanuel Emeka, a prisoner, serving a 130 yrs IHL sentence at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison
detailing allegations of maltreatment and unfair treatment by prison officials. The Command comments as
follows:

1) CP. Emmanuel Emeka, a Nigerian national, was first sentenced to two 25yrs IHL sentences for separate
robbery offences on 25th October, 2008 to run consecutively by an Accra Circuit Court. On 2 nd February
2010, he was sentenced to an additional 80yrs IHL for another robbery offence resulting in a total
sentence of 130yrs IHL.
2) Details of his viral message first came to the attention of the command in February 2016. He accepted
responsibility for the message before the Regional Commanderstating that he did that with the help of a
smuggled mobile device in his possession. The mobile phone was swiftly retrieved and disciplinary
actions were instituted against him.
3) His conduct was reported to a delegation from the Nigerian High Commission who came on a routine
visit to Nigerians serving at the facility. He was admonished by the team to submit to prison rules and
regulations and not to engage in any acts that had the tendency of marring the good diplomatic
relationship that exists between the two countries.
4) It is necessary for the general public to note that, Ghana’s prison system, like the wider Ghanaian
society, does not discriminate against foreigners. All prisoners, irrespective of nationality, have the right
to appeal. The Ghana Prisons Service, through paralegal staff, facilitate prisoner appeal processes.
Negotiations for legal services for inmates are mostly initiated and sustained by relatives of incarcerated
persons. The Ghana Prisons Service has no control over private legal practitioners.
 5) On allegations that Nigerian offenders in Ghana are slapped with excessive sentences, all should note
that, the prisoner serving the longest sentence in Ghana is a Ghanaian. The Ghana Prisons Service acts
as the final player in Ghana’s criminal justice system by enforcing the orders of the court.
6) His allegations as regards rampant death of Nigerian nationals in Ghana’s prisons remain baseless
untruths as the average general death rate of prisoners in Ghana has fluctuated between 0.20-0.30% of
their total population for close to a decade now.
7) On ration served to inmates, the Service ensures that all prisoners are served with three meals daily.
There is no occasion where inmates are served with gari without an accompanying sauce or soup.
8) Finally, the Command wishes to assure the general public that, the Ghana Prisons Service continues to
work towards providing a safe and humane prison system that rids the society of criminal elements and
also provide avenues for prisoner rehabilitation and reformation.

DANIEL MACHATOR
DEPUTY SUPT. OF PRISONS
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, C/R.
THE MEDIA