Wee suspect absconds from hospital…as police mount search for him

EKOW NKRUMAH, a native of Adum Treboum in the Mpohor Wassa East District of the Western Region, who has been charged with possession of Indian hemp, attempted assault and was remanded into prison custody by an Agona-Nkwanta Magistrate Court, has escaped from his police escort.

The shocking incident happened when the suspect, who reported sick, was being taking to the Effia-Nkwanta Government Hospital for treatment.

Information gathered by this reporter indicates that when a medical doctor at the hospital finally treated the suspect, a drug was prescribed for the police to purchase.

The officer accompanying, then pleaded with the ward assistant to care of the suspect as he went to a nearby drug store to buy the prescribed drugs. But, before the police officer could return, the suspect had bolted away.

Though the police have refused to comment on the matter, The Chronicle sources at the police station have confirmed the story. According to our source, a search has been mounted for the arrest of the suspect.

The suspect had appeared twice at the Agona-Nkwanta Magistrate Court.

The court also ordered the prosecutor of the case, to dispatch the dried leaves, suspected to be Indian hemp, for a laboratory test to prove its authenticity.

A complainant in the case, Mr. Enoch Cudjoe, who the suspect had assaulted and was helping the police to prosecute the case, also confirmed to this reporter that he was aware that the suspect had escaped from prison custody.

Based on this, he reported the matter to the Regional Crime Officer and his statement was taken by the latter to that effect. To Cudjoe, he suspected foul play in the escape of the suspect.

This is because, he was aware that a week to the suspect's escape, the same police had removed him (the suspect) from prison custody, and placed him in the Sekondi cells for reasons known to them.

He could not also understand why the said polic officer could not handcuff the suspect, when the former was going for the drug, which led the suspect to bolt away. The suspect, who is a nephew of the Chief of Adum Treboum, was found with the Indian hemp substance on him and in his room by the Nsuaem Police, when the police searched his room.

Information, as confirmed by the investigator in the case, indicates that when the accused was arrested on the eve of Christmas, for attempted assault on Enoch Cudjoe at Adum Treboum, the dried leaves were found on him.

The police then moved to the accused's room and found fresh dried leaves, also suspected to be Indian hemp.