Ghana, UK agree to exchange prisoners

Europa

November 13, 2015 10:25 AM

The development means Ghanaian and UK prisoners can decide to be repatriated to continue their sentence in their home countries.

Ghana has signed a Prisoner transfer deal with the United Kingdom (UK) to enable the exchange of prisoners between the two countries.The development means Ghanaian and UK prisoners can decide to be repatriated to continue their sentence in their home countries.

Addressing the media after a short signing ceremony on Thursday, deputy Attorney General Dominic Ayine said Ghana is the first country within the West Africa sub-region to enter into such a bilateral agreement with the UK government.

“Ghana passed the transfer of convicted prisoners act in 2007 and the act allows the country to receive Ghanaians who have been sentenced to prisons abroad and also to transfer out of Ghana to any receiving country prisoners who are residence of that country.“The requirement of the law is that we have to enter into a bilateral arrangement with these countries so that they can transfer prisoners to us and then we can also transfer their citizens back to them when they have been incarcerated in Ghana,” he explained.

Under the agreement, the decision for a prisoner to serve their jail term in Ghana or UK is subject to the convenience of the prisoner.

Mr. Grant Shapps, UK's Minister of State-in-charge of Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who signed for his country, was accompanied by the British High Commissioner in Accra, Mr. Jon Benjamin.

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