SOME INMATES at the Kumasi Central Prisons have been captured in a short video inserting wrapped substances believed to Indian hemp or ‘Wee’ into their anus.
The prisoners, who are serving various sentences, were reportedly taken to the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi by some officers to clean the place a few days ago.
After the successful cleanup exercise, the male prisoners then went into a nearby bush right behind the stadium, where they inserted the illegal substances in their anus.
According to reports, the prisoners inserted the Wee wrapped in polythene in their anus so they could carry it into the Kumasi Central Prisons for sale to inmates, after removing the illegal substances and washing them.
However, someone spotted them in the act and took video footages.
In the video, which was shown on Akoma FM’s Facebook handle Thursday morning, the male inmates, numbering about four, were seen without shirts, as they smoked freely in the bush.
Afterwards, the prisoners were then seen removing their shorts as they inserted the wrapped substances in their anus in turns. Surprisingly, no prison officer was present at the time.
Prisons To Crack Whip
Meanwhile, Supt Richard Bukari, the Ashanti Regional Prisons PRO, speaking on Akoma FM, stressed that the issue would be quickly investigated and culprits punished.
“We are officially requesting for the footage from Akoma FM, and if indeed it is proven that the video is authentic, then the Ghana Prison Service will severely punish the offenders.
“Anyone found culpable, whether a prisoner or a prison officer, would be severely punished to serve as deterrent to others,” Supt Bukari announced on Akoma FM on Thursday.
The Prisons PRO stated that the prisons were meant to reform the inmates, reiterating that if the reports proved to be authentic, then the officer who was in charge would suffer.
“The charges for the officer of the prisoners on the day would include service regulatory charge and a criminal charge,” he said, and apologised to the public over the leaked video.
Supt Bukari also appealed passionately to the state to provide body scanning machines at the prisons to prevent prisoners from entering the facility with illegal items, hidden in their bodies.
He disclosed that the law did not allow prison officers to insert their hands in the anus of prisoners that go outside the prisons to work, so a scanner was urgently needed.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi