The Jailed Editor of the Daily Searchlight newspaper, Mr. Ken Kuranchie, might end up serving his 10-day prison sentence as the most travelled guest of the state in Ghana�s contemporary prison history.
As though on a tour of prison facilities in the country, Mr. Kuranchie has, since last Tuesday, known three prisons in the country, a situation which human rights activists say is "a deliberate attempt to abuse his rights"."
Mr. Kuranchie was handed a 10-day prison sentence by the Supreme Court, presided over by the Justice Atuguba, last week Tuesday, after the court found him guilty of criminal contempt for making comments, which the court considered contemptuous in the ongoing 2012 presidential election petition hearing currently before it.
He was initially sent to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison in the Eastern Region under cover of darkness, but before he could settle and take a breather from an obviously exhausting day in court, and a tiring journey to a prison where he was to serve his term, he was moved again to the Ho Prison.
The Chronicle was reliably informed that Mr. Kuranchie was moved from the Nsawam prison at dawn at around 3:00 a.m. by a knock on the jail door, while trying to get some rest for his weary body, but that was not to be.
Prison officials would not disclose where Mr. Kuranchie was being kept, but reports indicate was he may have been moved to the Kete Krachi Prison, sited in the Northern part of the Volta Region.
The Public Affairs Director of the Ghana Prisons Service, Courage Atsem, however, gave the assurance that Mr. Kuranchie was �hale and hearty,; he is happy where he is; he is comfortable where he is and he is safe, and when he is due for release, he will be released.��
The prison authorities have also cited the massing up of the well-wishes of Mr. Kuranchie at the prison premises as reason for his movement to ensure his safety.
It is important that ��we ensure the safety of the prisoner, and so when he is being kept at a place, and our intelligence tells us that is it not safe for him to continue to be there, it is important and in the interest of the prisoner and the prison system for him to be moved to a different location,�� he explained.
Mr. Kuranchie�s tour de prison� has received wide public criticism, and is beginning to give credence to speculations making the rounds that some political elements within the ruling government were pulling the strings behind the scene to frustrate, and as it were, show Mr. Kuranchie �where power lies.
A former Deputy Speaker of Parliament and leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Professor Mike Oquaye, says there cannot be any justification for the way and manner Mr. Kuranchie is being moved about.
There is �no justification for those kind of movement,�� Prof. Oquaye asserted. He has, however, called the attention of the Minister of Interior, the Director of Prisons, and other relevant institutions to ensure that Mr. Kuranchie�s right are protected.
He maintained, ���a Ghanaian�s right is at stake (and) he must be given a certain kind of respect.�� It was, however, unknown at press time, which prison would next host next time the state�s special gust.
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