Mr. Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, the Ambassador Extraordinaire for the Ghana Prisons Service, has denied reports that a juvenile ex-convict, who has completed his prison term three years ago, is still being held.
He similarly refuted widely circulated claims in various media platforms that the ex-convict, Emmanuel Adom Frimpong, had stolen 20 Ghana cedis from a kenkey seller and was still in prison custody.
Mr. Kwarteng, who is also the Executive Director, Crime Check Foundation, debunked these claims in a statement he signed and copied to the Ghana News Agency, following multiple reports that indicated that a juvenile who was interviewed by Crime Check TV GH remained in prison custody.
The ambassador, who has been vocal about prison reform, rehabilitation and reintegration efforts in the country, stated that the reports were false and that it should be wholly disregarded as the Ghana Prisons Service took the welfare of all inmates, especially juveniles, very seriously.
He said he was surprised when his attention was drawn to publication on various platforms that “falsely claims that an ex-convict Emmanuel Adom Frimpong who we came across as a juvenile at the Kumasi Central Prison is still in prison custody.”
Providing further details, he explained that Crime Check Foundation came across the said juvenile in July 2019 at the Kumasi central prison as part of the foundation’s petty offenders’ project.
He had been slapped with a two-year sentence for stealing, but his looks raised suspicion that he may be a minor who had been wrongfully brought to an adult prison.
According to the statement, Adom Frimpong confirmed this when he told CCF that he was 15 years, but the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service rather wrote 18 as his age despite his protestations.
It also said that the Former Deputy Managing Director of the State Housing Company, Mr. Roni Nicol, appealed his sentence after contacting Crime Check Foundation.
“In his ruling the presiding judge instructed that the juvenile be sent to the Senior Correctional Centre and reportedly gave the little boy transportation,” the statement said, stressing: “Adom Frimpong has since served his sentence facility three years ago.”
It further stated: “It is, therefore, not true that Adom Frimpong stole a kenkey seller’s 20 Ghana cedis, neither is he still in prison custody.
“He rather claimed in his interview with Crime Check TV GH, he was forced to admit stealing a sum of 2000 Ghana cedis.
“We therefore urge the public to treat the widely circulated false reportage with contempt.”
