A Ghanaian-born senior prison officer based in the United Kingdom, Tracy Boateng, has been handed a 12-month suspended sentence by the Snaresbrook Crown Court after admitting to an inappropriate relationship with an inmate at HMP Pentonville in North London.
Boateng, 27, who holds UK citizenship, was arrested following an investigation that uncovered body camera footage and mobile phone records showing she had developed a romantic relationship with 34-year-old inmate Vincent Ojo, a convicted Nigerian drug trafficker.
The footage showed Boateng kissing Ojo in her office and breaching multiple security protocols, including sneaking him into restricted areas and disclosing sensitive information, such as staff rosters.
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According to reports, Boateng’s legal team stated that she requested Ojo’s transfer to another wing after feeling threatened by him.
This request followed the discovery of a banned mobile phone in Ojo’s cell and an alleged threat, during which Ojo claimed to know where she lived.
She pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in public office, with UK media quoting the charge as:
Wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducted yourself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust in the officeholder by engaging in an inappropriate relationship with Vincent Ojo.
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Although the court acknowledged the serious nature of the offence, the presiding judge considered Boateng’s personal circumstances, including her responsibilities as a mother and the absence of childcare support following her separation from the child’s father.
These mitigating factors influenced the decision to suspend her sentence.
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Boateng, who holds a master’s degree in criminology, had risen through the ranks of the prison service in just four years and had completed specialised training in counter-corruption.
The case highlights the ongoing challenges within the prison system in preventing staff-inmate misconduct and maintaining institutional integrity.
