The Human Rights Commission has in its Annual Report for the year 2019 has made it known to the Media that overcrowding is a big problem in the Correctional facilities in the country.
The Commission presented the Report to the Media on Thursday January 14th, 2021 at its headquarter in Freetown.
Addressing Journalists, Madam Patricia Ndanema, Chairperson Human Right Commission, said that in all the centres the Commission had visited they observed a general increase in the number of persons incarcerated. The report depicts a tabular representation of figures which clearly shows that the Male Correctional centre in in Freetown in the month of June 2019 , with an official holding capacity of about 324, held 1,795 inmates. According to the report this is clearly a case of 554% level of overcrowding. Kenema’s Male correctional centre in January of 2019, with an official holding capacity of 80 persons , held 305 inmates with overcrowding at 381%. Makeni’s Male correctional Centre in August 2019, with an official holding capacity of 83, held 288 inmates with an overcrowding rate of 347%. The Male Correctional Centre in Bo, with an official holding capacity of 80, held 247 inmates with an overcrowding rate of 309%. In Kono the Male Correctional centre in January, with an official holding capacity of 150, held 167 inmates, with an overcrowding rate of 139%. The Male correctional centre in Kailahun had an overcrowding rate of 110%.
The HRCSL in its reports raised serious concern over overcrowding as it impacts the full enjoyment of the right to health of the inmates. It noted that the current state of affairs i.e. overcrowding in the Correctional facilities in the Country; is in contravention of Rule 13 which stated that “All accommodation provided for the use of prisoners and in particular all sleeping accommodation shall meet all requirements of health, due regard being paid to climatic conditions and particularly to cubic content of air, minimum floor space, lighting, heating and ventilation.’
The reports further stated that overcrowding of the Makeni Correctional Centre is compounded by the delay of the Judiciary to replace the Resident High Court Judge who had retired in February of 2019, and as a result all cases committed from the Magistrate’s Courts to the High Court were not heard; and accused persons not on bail remained in detention without trial. The Report further attributed overcrowding in the Bo Correctional Centre partly to delays in trial as a result of the absence of jurors, and the presence of a single judge and State counsel only for the entire southern region.
To resolve the issues of overcrowding HRCSL recommended that the Law Officers Department should expedite the production of indictments for inmates committed to the High Court for trial; Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS) should roll out education and skills training program to all inmates in order for correctional centres across the country, irrespective of the duration of their jail terms
The commission further recommended that SLCS should improve on the hygiene and ventilation facilities at the Makeni correctional centre to limit the spread of disease among inmates. The Commission also advised that the Ministry of Internal Affairs should provide SLCS with the requisite equipment to properly screen inmates before they are admitted to prevent the spread of any contagious disease that a new-comer might be carrying.
By Desmond Tunde Coker
18/01/2021. ISSUE NO:7981