Court hands 66-months jail term to 2 Kwabenya cell breakers

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced two criminal suspects who escaped from the Kwabenya cell early this year to 66 months' imprisonment for escaping from the cell.

Kofi Darko was handed 32 months whilst Emmanuel Kotey was slapped with 34 months jail term by the court presided over by Aboagye Tanoh.

The two were part of criminal suspects who were on remand at the Kwabenya police cell for allegedly committing various criminal offences.

Together with five others, Darko and Kotei escaped from the cell on January 21, 2018 in a fatal cell break incident which led to the death of Police Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi.

Inspector Ashilevi

Inspector Ashilevi was shot by a gang of cell breakers who were said to have been assisted by a bread seller at the Kwabenya Police station.

The suspects who broke cell on the dawn of January 21 were identified as Dickson Ofori, Chubuzor Chubuzor, Edem  Rockson, Emmanuel Kotey, Prince Osei, Kofi Darko and Atta Kwadwo.

After thorough investigations, three of them were rearrested by the police.

They were charged with escaping lawful custody and abetment to escape lawful custody - charges two of them pleaded guilty to and were sentenced on their own plea.

The third suspect has, however, pleaded not guilty and will be standing full trial.

Myjoyonline.com is learning both Kofi Darko and Emmanuel Kotey are yet to be tried for the original offences for which they were held on remand.

Meanwhile, nine suspects who were alleged to have masterminded the cell break are still on trial.

They have pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing firearms without lawful authority, conspiracy to commit a crime, and abetment to escape from lawful custody.