The Ghana Prisons Service has launched a high-powered internal investigation into allegations that an inmate of the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison played an intermediary role in the murder of the Abamba Queen Mother, Nana Serwaa Asama Agyankomaa I, at Atebubu in the Bono East Region.
In a statement issued by the Public Affairs Department and signed by Head of Public Affairs DDP Janet Asabea, the Service expressed “profound and sincere condolences” to the chiefs and people of the Abamba Traditional Area following the killing of the Queen Mother.
The statement followed preliminary investigative findings by the Ghana Police Service, which allegedly link convicted prisoner Ishaku Alhassan, also known as Sule Yagani, to the crime. The Prisons Administration described the allegations as being of the “utmost gravity” and announced that a special team has been constituted to investigate the matter and make specific recommendations. It added that an active inter-agency collaboration with the Ghana Police Service is underway to ensure a thorough probe.
Management further assured the public that any person, regardless of status, who is found culpable or complicit in breaching prison security protocols will face the full rigour of the law.
The Service also used the statement to clarify its communication policies for inmates, stressing that detainees are permitted only heavily supervised voice calls through official, institutional phone booths and are also entitled to scheduled visits from family, friends and legal counsel. It emphasised that the possession and use of personal mobile phones remain strictly prohibited in all correctional facilities and that this ban applies to both inmates and on-duty correctional officers.
According to the Prisons Service, rigorous contraband control measures are enforced across all prison facilities to prevent the influx of prohibited electronic devices, including strict physical and electronic searches at entry points, routine intelligence-led searches of cells and workshops, and periodic random body searches on inmates and staff.
The statement reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to safeguarding public safety and national security while balancing safe custody with the core mandate of inmate reformation and rehabilitation.
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