Brit dad says he's stuck in African island 'hell hole' prison with no food and water provided
23.06.2022 - 20:27
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A wealthy hotelier has been thrown in a 'hell hole' prison on the island of Zanzibar after being charged for money laundering. Simon Wood, 51, is currently in prison with 200 dangerous inmates after he was arrested along with his wife Francesca Scalfari, 45, just over two weeks ago.
According to his family, Simon's head has been shaved and he is being denied basic needs like access to water - and relatives haven't been allowed into the jail to see them. Simon was taken to custody on the island which is in the Indian Ocean off the coast of east Africa.
According to Lancs Live, those close to the couple claim their arrest is linked to lawsuits brought against them by ex-investors in their hotel, The Sharazad Boutique, dating back to 2017. But as these matters were later settled in favour of Simon and Francesca.
READ MORE: Former Bowdon hotel could be transformed into flats, town houses, nursery and care home
They say they're now "at a loss" to explain why new criminal charges arose earlier this month. Under local laws, prisoners can be kept in jail for eight month without trial, and Simon’s mum, Christine Wood, from Preston, is "concerned" for his welfare.
She said: “I am very concerned for my son Simon and his Italian wife Francesca who are starting their third week of imprisonment in Zanzibar. Now they have been accused of money laundering but are at a loss to know why. For them, paradise has quickly turned to hell and until the court declares them 'not guilty' they remain in jail.”
Francesca’s uncle Jim Betteridge, 62, a British ex-pat living in Tuscany, Italy, added Simon and Francesca are being kept in “primitive” conditions. He said: “A hell hole would be a fairly accurate description. There’s no food or water