Ghana and Newcastle United midfielder Christian Atsu has helped release nine African prisoners to date, it has emerged.
Atsu remembers well his rags-to-riches story coming from a poor household himself.
In appreciation to the blessing football turned out to be for him, the Ghana winger helps underprivileged people in his homeland with his own cash - recently freeing an African family facing jail for stealing corn.
Already the big-hearted star had used his wages to help free a family jailed for pinching just over a quids worth of corn.Atsu, who says he was raised in a family with “very little money and very little foodâ€, has been involved in charity work for years now.
Among his good deeds is funding a surgery of a 62-year-old ill female prisoner facing 10 years in jail for possession of cannabis.
Back in 2016, he also co-operated with British charity Arms Around the Child helping dozens of orphans in Ghana find new homes, get an education, or have clean water and food.
Now it has emerged the Ghana international has shelled out thousands of pounds of his own cash alongside the Crime Check Foundation to release some of his homeland's poorest prisoners who were locked up for petty offences."He has so far donated seven thousand pounds into the Petty Offenders Fund which has been launched by our Crime Check Foundation to take care of misdemeanours," said a spokesperson for the charity.
"The amount will cater for about thirty prisoners.
"Currently, nine prisoners have been released. He has promised to release many more."
Read also: Christian Atsu saves mother, 2 daughters jailed for stealing ¢10 worth of corn
The charity previously confirmed he had helped pay the fines of some criminals while providing money for the "voiceless".
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