EX-CONVICT BENEFITS FROM CHRISTIAN ATSU’S KINDNESS

Black Stars and Newcastle Midfielder, Christian Atsu comes to the rescue of ex-convict of Winneba Local Prison, William Owusu Ansah as he starts life anew.

Owusu Ansah aged 39 was a security guard at Kasoa in Central Region of Ghana and served a 3 year jail term after he was arrested for possessing narcotic drugs.

Narrating the incident that led to his arrest, the ex-convict said he went to his usual ghetto to smoke weed after close of work. While waiting for his colleague after he finished with his, police invaded the ghetto and arrested him. “I had finished smoking but we usually wait for each other to finish before we part ways. As I was waiting, the police came to the ghetto and arrested two of us. The rest were able to flee from the police”. He tells crimecheckghana.

He said he was arraigned before court but he pleaded not guilty so the judge asked that he goes through a urine test to affirm his innocence. “The test proved that I had smoked weed so I pleaded guilty and apologized to the court. The judge asked me to pay a fine of two thousand, five hundred Ghana cedis or serve a three year jail term”.

The young man said he could not pay the fine because he had spent all his life’s savings on narcotics, so had to serve the sentence.

The living condition in prison says Owusu Ansah, has caused him to learn a lot in life. “It is painful when you are asked to sleep as early as 5pm and food we eat in the yard is not the best. Each person is given a small piece of soap and washing powder for bathing for two weeks. When it gets finished before time, you would have to use raw sponge to bath”.

His father, he claims abandoned him eight years ago because he did not heed his advice. As a result, the ex-convict says he has no one to look up to for help since his mother has passed away too.

Owusu Ansah is pleading with the father to forgive him and accept him back into the family. “Daddy, please forgive me and accept me as one of you own. Even if you will not help me start a new life, just accept me as your son so I can boldly call you my father”. He said with regret.

He wishes to get a job, start a new life and continue his education if he gets enough funds. “I want to sell calendars on the street so I can be able to cater for myself”.

As part of Crime Check Foundation CCF’s Reintegration Project, the Newcastle midfielder has given the ex-convict two hundred and fifty Ghana cedis to start the calendar business. The Foundation also gave him clothes and footwear.

 He expressed gratitude to the Foundation and the footballer for the support towards a new life.