Joy came today for one Hamza Osman after a High Court in Tamale, presided over by Justice Osei K. Gyamfi, directed his release from prison custody within 24 hours, following a review of his case.
Hamza Osman was in December 2015 handed a 14-year jail term by a Bole Magistrate Court Judge, after he was convicted of illegally entering the Mole Game Reserve, breaching some sections of the Wildlife Reserve Regulation.
The case of Mr Osman, who has already served close to four years at the Tamale Central Prisons, came to the fore when the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) carried out monitoring services at the prisons earlier this year.
In reviewing the judgement, the lawyer for the applicant, Stephen Azantilo, told the court that the judgment was harsh, excessive and unlawful.
He further stated that the four offences slapped on the applicant amounted to only three years imprisonment, instead of 14, and asked that applicant be awarded compensation.
Hamza Osman was however not in court because it emerged that the bailiff failed to serve notice the prison authority.
