Prison officer arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle suspected cannabis into Kete-Krachi Jail

The Ghana Prisons Service has interdicted an officer who was arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle a substance suspected to be cannabis into the Kete-Krachi Local Prison.

In a statement, the Service said Chief Officer Michael Osei-Bonsu was arrested on 19 June during routine security checks conducted on officers reporting for night duty.

According to the statement, prison officers on duty intercepted and retrieved the suspected narcotic substance at the prison's main gate before it could enter the facility.

The officer was subsequently handed over to the Kete-Krachi District Police for investigation.

He was later arraigned before the Kete-Krachi District Magistrate Court and remanded into custody for two weeks. The case has been adjourned to 8 July.

The Ghana Prisons Service said the officer had been interdicted in accordance with its regulations pending the outcome of both the criminal case and internal disciplinary proceedings.

The Service reiterated its commitment to combating the smuggling of prohibited items into correctional facilities and said it maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards drug-related offences and other forms of contraband.

"The Service remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, discipline and security in the discharge of its mandate," the statement said.

It also commended the officers whose vigilance led to the discovery of the suspected substance and reaffirmed its determination to prevent the introduction of unauthorised items into prisons across the country.

The substance has not yet been independently tested in court, and investigations are continuing.