He then went ahead to deliver what turned out to be the most compelling aspect of the emotional interview. With tears running down his cheeks he uttered: “I want to urge everyone to refrain from any act of violence and obey the elders in society in order not to end up in prison”.
You will better appreciate his wise counsel if you are aware of the events that precipitated his incarceration at the overcrowded Koforidua Prisons.
It was his failure to obey an age-long saying of do not act when angry that took him from the comfort of his home to the prison.
It was his failure to exercise discretion that landed him in prison, tainting his record as an upright citizen.
Had he listened to the advice and sought remedy at the police instead of confronting the man who had attempted to defraud him, he would not have been here in the first place.
Understandably, it was disappointing to see someone you describe as a friend attempting to defraud you but as the saying goes “act out of anger and you will forever regret it”.
So how did it all start? From his own narration, Kwabena Boateng as he is called owned a shop which had his 10-year-old daughter as an attendant.
His closest buddy tried to take advantage of the perceived ignorance of the little girl by offering her the obsolete five pesewas coin in exchange for a stick of cigarette.
But unknown to his friend, his daughter could differentiate between an active currency and expired one so she quickly drew his attention.
An angry Kwame Boateng went to his friend to enquire why he would attempt to dupe his daughter and to an extent him.
The exchanges escalated into a fight and his friend drew a dagger. Kwame Boateng trusted his abilities and tried to take the knife from him. In the process of doing that, he inflicted injuries in the palm of his friend and the incident turned into a police case.
He was arraigned in court, tried without a lawyer, found guilty and asked to pay GH ¢2000 or risk 12 months in prison.
Kwame Boateng says he tried every possible means to raise the amount but all efforts came to nought.
He was thus condemned to 12 months in prison which he has so far served a little over one month.
Luck shone on him as through the Crime Check Foundation, one Ali Ibrahim saw his story on TV and offered to pay the fine for him to be released.
Following the settlement of his fine, he is now a free man with loads of lessons.
