The Accra Circuit Court has slapped a barkeeper and a taxi driver with a 17-month jail term for aiding seven inmates to escape from the Kwabenya Police Station Cell on January 21, 2018.

Nancy Dantaa, the barkeeper, and Kofi Seshie, the taxi driver were found guilty of abetment to escape from lawful custody.

Dantaa was found to have been a close friend of one of the inmates and helped him by charging his phone for him.

It was the said phone that the inmate used to plan the daring escape.

The court, presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh, also sentenced Prince Osei, one of the escapees to 40 months imprisonment for unlawful possession of ammunition.

Osei is already serving 36 months for escaping unlawfully from the police cell.

The court also jailed Prince Kofi Acheampong for 40 months for giving the ammunition to Osei.

The six who escaped from police custody

Cell-break

On January 21, 2018, seven inmates of the Kwabenya Police Station cell escaped from custody through a cell break carried out by six armed men.

The cell break led to the death of a police officer, Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi.

The police were able to arrest four of the escapees and nine people alleged to have aided them in their escape, but three of the escapees — Chibuzor Akwubu, Rockson Edem Dzigbede and Dickson Ofori — are still on the run.

The late Inspector Emmanuel Ashilev

The prosecution told the court that before the operation, two members of the gang had surveyed the police station by intentionally visiting the place to lodge a complaint.

They complained that someone had borrowed their money and refused to pay, for which a policeman told them to institute civil action at the court.

“At that moment, the two signalled the rest who had laid ambush to launch an attack on the charge office. They shot Inspector Ashilevi, who was on duty.

“They took the keys to the cells and released seven of the inmates, namely, Prince Osei, Atta Kwadwo, Chibuzor Akwubu, Emmanuel Kotey, Kofi Darko, Rockson Edem Dzigbede and Dickson Ofori," the prosecution said.