Ex-convict Ohene Agyekum has received two industrial sewing machines worth Two Thousand Six Hundred Ghana Cedis and a cash amount of Four Thousand Ghana Cedis from Crime Check Foundation, CCF to enable him recover his lost life to better re-integrate into society after he was sacked from his previous job.
Mr. Agyekum was sentenced to prison in 2015 to serve a two year jail term at the Koforidua Prison and later transferred to the Awutu Camp Prisons. Recounting his journey to prison, Mr. Agyekum said he was jailed for his failed attempt to invest his boss’s money into a car business. His sentence to prison he said, cost him his job and marriage.
“I used to sell computers and its accessories for my boss who lived abroad. Later on I thought of investing the profit from the computers into buying and selling of cars so that when I make my profit, I can send my boss’s money to him. I had a school mate in Korea through whom I bought the cars. My first attempt was successful but my friend failed me on the second attempt. I did not get the car and the money back neither did I hear from him so my boss whose computers I used to sell nagged me for his money. My failure to get him his money landed him in jail.” He narrated to crimecheckghana.
Mr. Agyekum in an initial interview with crimecheckghana whiles he was in prison, advised ex-convicts not to heed to the call of politicians who use them to foment trouble and give them paltry amount of money but rather work hard and be content with what they have.
When he left prison after serving his jail term, he said he got a job from one of his church members who offered him her husband’s industrial workshop and a house to live in. He said after working for the man for some time without any problem, one day, became an unfortunate one for him as his boss’s wife called him that her husband says he can’t work with him again because he just found out that he is an ex-convict.
“When I came back from prison in 2017, I met a woman in my church who told me her husband who lived abroad had a sewing shop with machines. She made her husband employ me and diligently I worked for him. Later my master found out that I was an ex-convict after he watched a video of me so he asked his wife to tell me he is no more interested in working with me.” He said.
The middle-aged man has been in a dilemma until CCF came to his rescue through its Ex-Convict Re-integration Project ably supported by Newcastle United winger and Ghana Black Stars Midfielder Christian Atsu.
Through the Project, Mr. Agyekum has received industrial sewing machines and cash amount of Four Thousand Ghana Cedis to buy a container shop and rent a room in order to establish himself to better re-integrate into society.
Receiving the money and the items, Mr. Agyekum rained blessing on CCF and Christian Atsu for the support as he promised to also employ other ex-convicts who are jobless because of stigma. “God bless Christian Atsu and continue to make him soar higher. May God also bless CCF for this overwhelming support that is going to change my life. This donation will reap benefit.” He said.
CCF’s Ex-Convict re-integration Project seeks to give new life to ex-convicts to enable them fit better into society.
