Ghanaian escapes from detention center to collect wages

Mainichi Shimbun, Japan, April 12, 2004 -- A construction worker from Ghana who escaped from detention to receive his unpaid wages before his deportation has been arrested, police said.

"I wanted to receive my unpaid wages from my employer before returning to my country," the Ghana man was quoted as saying.

After earlier detaining Nimoh Kwaku for illegal staying in Japan, the Nagoya Immigration Bureau ordered him to leave the country on March 22.

On April 5, Kwaku, 28, escaped from a hospital in Nagoya's Naka-ku where he underwent a checkup.

He reportedly fled by train to a location in Aichi Prefecture where he had previously lived but came back to Nagoya on Saturday night.

Shortly before 6 p.m. on Sunday, patrolling officers spotted Kwaku and arrested him in Kasugai for escaping from detention.

An official of the Nagoya Immigration Bureau said that law enforcers would step up security in following the incident.