Prison Officers Are Over-Exerting Their Authority - Kabila

James Kobena Bonfeh, former National Youth Organiser of the Convention People�s Party (CPP) popularly known as Kabila has cautioned prison officers to stop abusing their power. According to him, the fact that Editor of the Daily Searchlight newspaper, Ken Kuranchie was charged with contempt and sentenced for 10 days, does not mean that he is supposed to be treated as �an ordinary criminal�. �They must know that the power vested in them was given to them by the people, hence they don�t have to abuse it�Everybody who works in one authority or the other must know that they cannot abuse it�� Kabila asserted. Kabila was speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi on the movement of Ken Kuranchie from one prison to the other. The Editor, who was given a 10-day jail term for making contemptuous statements was first taken to the Nsawam medium security Prisons to serve his term. The next day, he was moved to the Ho Central Prisons. To the bewilderment of friends and family members, he was again moved to the Keta Prisons and now rumours have it that he has been brought back to the Nsawam prisons. Mr. Courage Atsem, spokesperson of the Ghana Prisons Service in an interview on Peace FM, explained that the move was to protect Ken Kuranchie, adding; �they (prison authorities) reserve the right of (prisoners) to serve their sentence in silence. It is not our right to be broadcasting where they are serving their sentence�. However, Kabila disagrees saying; it is a showmanship of power. �Prison officers must know that Ken is not an ordinary criminal�I don�t think they are being fair to the gentleman because he has no option to choose his visitors to warrant being moved from one place to the other�What kind of punishment is he supposed to receive that the prison officers feel they can add more to it. It is not fair,� he indicated. He also pointed out that the numerous caution statements issued by the panel is indicative of the fact when the final verdict of the election petition is pronounced, �it should be accepted and not criticized to the point of disrespecting the judges�. �Now when you are talking about the election petition, you will be careful. My joy is that the judges have stated categorically that they are not going to gag freedom of speech� he said