44 year old recidivist, Selina Mensah sheds tears as Crime Check Foundation CCF through its Ex-convicts Reintegration project supports her to start a business.
Selina who has served a ten year jail term for a narcotic offence and another three year jail term for stealing, is currently going through financial difficulties as a result of family negligence.
According to her, she used to be a trader who travels to Burkina Faso to sell food items, but decided to add narcotic drug to it. “I take palm oil, coconut oil and other things to Burkina Faso. Most traders add the weed to it so I also decided to do same. We have agents in Burkina Faso that we hand over the weed to them upon arrival. One day, I was unfortunately caught and arrested at the border on my third attempt smuggling weed (cannabis) to Burkina”. Selina told crimecheckghana.
She said she was arraigned before court and was sentenced to a ten year term in prison. The stoutly built woman said she was released in 2013/2014 after serving her prison term, but was deserted by her family members. “Because I did not get the chance to take care of my children they do not have any motherly love for me. I wanted to take good care of them but I had no money to do so”. She said.
As a result of financial difficulties and family neglect after her release, she said she engaged in theft, by stealing people’s items at hotels. Selina who didn’t see luck again was arrested in one of her operations and sent back to prison. “I arrange with workers at the hotel to steal from foreigners who are lodging at the facility. I was arrested and sentenced to three years term at the Kumasi Female Prison”.
The recidivist said she got married after she was released for the second time but the marriage fell on rocks when her husband found out about her criminal history. “My husband and I were living together in happiness till I conceived and gave birth to my child. My elder daughter narrated my past to my husband in my absence so he divorced me but never allowed me to explain my side to him”. Selina said.
The single woman said, she has been facing series of financial difficulties after the divorce and fears she might relapse into her criminal activities. She added that she does not want her last born who is two year old to go through difficulties. “I cherish this child so much and I want to give her all the motherly love my elder children could not get from me. I want her to be a great person in future so she will not be like me”. She said.
To prevent Selina from relapsing into criminal acts and her young child being a street child, a donor of CCF in the U.K by name Josephine has presented an amount of two hundred Dollars to Selina Mensah to help her start a business to support her children.
Selina could not hide her tears as she thanked the donor. “Sister Josephine, God bless and give you long life. May he make you the Solomon and Joseph of our time”.
