A tragic incident has occurred in Ahinkofi, near Ketan in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, where a prisoner lost his life in a mudslide while working on external labour duty.
The deceased inmate, whose name has not been disclosed, was part of a group of four prisoners assigned to work on a private plot of land under the supervision of two prison officers.
The land had previously been levelled using excavators, and the inmates were reportedly clearing debris when the hilly mud unexpectedly collapsed.
Eyewitnesses say the sudden slide of the earth caught one of the inmates off guard, burying him under the heavy debris.
Despite the swift arrival of excavator operators, who used machinery to dig through the mud, the rescue came too late.
“I’m an excavator operator. I was at my office when we were informed that someone had been trapped and our services were needed. We proceeded to the site and cleared the debris with our machines. That’s when we found him lying helpless, with a shovel and wheelbarrow beside him,” Mr. Koomson shared with reporters.
The injured inmate was immediately rushed to the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
At the time reporters left the hospital, his body had not yet been transferred to the morgue, as staff awaited the arrival of officials from the Prison Service.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety of inmates on external labour assignments and whether adequate precautions are being taken during such operations.
