Remand Prisoners Use Excreta In A Protest

Eight remand prisoners at the Ashaiman District police cell yesterday refused relocation to the Nsawam maximum prison. To ensure this and to prevent policemen on duty from forcibly dragging them on board a �Black Maria� provided to convey them to their �new home�, they smeared their bodies with faeces scooped from the cell�s toilet and threatened to splash the rest on anyone who dared touch them. The eight included Yusif Tahiru, 19, Wisdom Fianu, 26, Suley Mohammed, 26, Amadu Inussah alias Columbia 19, Kwame Frimpong, 30 and Yakubu Mohammed all remanded for armed robbery. The rest are Ali Mohammed and Junic Godwin, both 19 and remanded for murder. The incident drew a large crowd of people to the police station. Seven others, including two convicts, joined the van after persuasion by the District Commander, Superintendent Peter Kobina. They included Mawuli Afaglo and Enoch Setsoafi, both 19, who had been convicted for dealing in narcotic drugs. Others are Zakuri Mukaila, 26 and Japhet Tetteh, 29, remanded for robbery. The rest are Alhassan Musah, 27, Richard Afedo, 30 and Gilbert Yaw Quao, 31, all remanded for dealing in narcotic drugs. Briefing the �Times�, Mr. Kobina said at about 11 am the van arrived at the station to convey the 15 convicts and remand prisoners to Nsawam. He said at the sight of the van the inmates ran into the toilet and started smearing themselves with the excreta. When the cell door was opened for them to leave for Nsawam they refused to come out. In all, 30 inmates were present in the cell at the time of the incident. Meanwhile, the Police Administration on Wednesday started extension work on the Ashaiman police cell. When completed, the existing Charge Office will become part of the cell and ventilation provided.