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01.09.2009 General News

Remand prisoner: It's a curse to go to prison, even for a day

By myjoyonline
Remand prisoner: It's a curse to go to prison, even for a day
01.09.2009 LISTEN



Listen to Bob narrate his story Copyright ©myjoyonline

If you are sitting behind a computer, a microphone, wielding a hammer or a spanner and minding your own business, remember that you may as well be a prisoner or at least a remand prisoner from the next court sitting.

The line between freedom/liberty and having these taken away is so thin that all of us must pray to our God every morning so we do not have any brushes with the law. For if we do, by the time justice is served us – that is if we are lucky not to be convicted, unjustifiably – we would have served weeks, or months or even years on remand, forgotten by negligent police investigators and prosecutors and left to rot in jail.

That is the story of a young man, Bob (not real name) who was remanded into prison custody for two weeks but ended up spending 89 days in jail. He was even lucky, for others did years.

Bob shared his story with Joy FM's award winning Super Morning Show on Tuesday, hosted by Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah.

Bob said after completing Junior Secondary School in 1996, he decided to start a small business but was arrested for buying stolen cattle. He was remanded into prison custody but his court date coincided with a Muslim festival, Eid, which was a holiday.

The prosecutor/investigator, never came for him and he languished there for months until his family members stood up to ensure his release.

Bob narrates that prison conditions are more suitable to produce hardened ex-convicts than reformed individuals, for new arrivals (fresh prisoners) who tell they stole part of any ammount of money and that is why they have landed in prison are told they are stupid to have stolen only a part of the sum.

They should have stolen the entire money instead, because in that case, they would return to go and enjoy the loot after serving their conviction because they were going to be jailed anyway.

Bob's moving account of his prison experience has been posted as audio for your listening.






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