As part of efforts by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to protect the rights of Ghanaians, the Commissioner of CHRAJ, Mr Emile Short, has recommended a training programme for Magistrates and Prosecutors to enable them discharge their duties diligently in the country.
Justice Emile Short made this recommendation when he was speaking on Peace Fm, an Accra based radio station on Tuesday.
He bemoaned the poor conditions of the Nsawam Medium Security Prison when he and some officials paid a visit to the security prison to inspect facilities at the prisons and how to possibly address the plight of inmates.
He indicated that, the Medium Security Prison built in 1960 has exceeded its average capacity by 2,233, since the prison currently holds 2,950 inmates instead of the original capacity of 717.
“Out of the latest inmates’ population of 2,950, 1165 are convicts, 1,154 are on remand, 79 have been sentenced to life imprisonment and 82 condemned prisoners,” he noted.
Justice Emile Short emphasized that during his visit, a critical assessment of the conditions was made and the current state of the inmates was very deplorable.
“People are sent to prison to be corrected for their wrongful deeds but are not required to come out with any physical deformities to be burdens on the society and the country at large,” stressed Mr. Emile Short.
He made a passionate appeal to President Mills’ government to put up more buildings to curtail the congestion at the prisons.
He pointed out that some of the suspects who are in the prison with minor offences and are remanded for so many years should be considered.
This is because we should be cognizant of the fact that our prisons are institutions for correction and not only punishment so that hardened criminals are not churned out.
He further suggested that trial cases involving remanded suspects should be processed with maximum speed.
BY BEATRICE DEDE ASIEDU