By Ismaila Sonko
The Gambia Prison Department has reacted to issues raised during the visits of the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) by inmates languishing at various prison centres across the country, at a press conference held at its office in Banjul yesterday. Authorities at the prisons said issues raised are not entirely theirs and should not be treated as the business of the prison authorities only.
Some of the issues authorities at the prison reacted to are the issue of pardon, non appearance of inmates to courts, the issue of juvenile prison found at Janjanbureh prison as well as the lack of mosquito nets on the windows at the Janjanbureh prison.
Superintendent Lamin Ceesay doubling as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of The Gambia Prison Services reacted that the visit of the TRRC is in line with laws of the country but the need to clarify issues remains imminent, revealing that some of the issue been raised are not entirely the responsibility of the prison authorities rather a matters that involves the participation or decisions of other stakeholders.
“When it comes to the issue of prerogative of mercy the prison department is not entirely responsible for issuing and giving recommendations for a certain prison to be pardon. There is a committee for the prerogative of mercy that includes the President, the Justice Minister, the Prison Council, the visitors committee and the Interior Ministry, these are involve in making a final decision to any prisoner who is to be pardon by the prison authorities,” Prison’s PRO Supt. Lamin clarified.
He defended that the appearance of remand prisoners to the courts is not the sole responsibility of the prison authorities, adding that prison authorities work in tandem with police prosecutors and the magistrate offices as to who is to appear in court or not.
He said usually authorities at the prison only give pass to inmates, whose files are brought in for possible court appearance, stressing that there are instances when prison authorities will contact either the state or the police prosecutors regarding non appearance of inmates.
“There was a time in 2009 when concerns were raised as to the hottest of the prison cells so we (prison authorities) decided to remove the mosquito nets from all the Windows in a bid to satisfy the demands of the inmates as well as to promote their health well-being.
This is why when the mosquito nets were removed we provided each prisoner a bed net so that we can be able to prevent the issue of malaria infection at the prisons,” Superintendent Ceesay argued as to reasons why mosquito nets are not fitted at the Windows of the prison cells.
On state of the mattresses of the prisoners, prison PRO adduced that enough mattresses are at the disposal the prisons that are of high quality foam, observing that one reason why a prisoner have to use two mattresses shows that enough mattresses are available.
PRO Ceesay also delved into the issue of an inmate found by the visiting TRRC team who is widely claimed to be a minor but sharing the same cell with adult inmates, disclosing that as far as the prison authorities are concern there is no minor at the Janjanbureh prison.
“We want to clarify that as par our records the said prisoner they are alleging to be minor is in fact 21 years old indicating that he is an adult and can stay with adult prisoners,” Ceesay dispelled the fact that a juvenile prisoner is occupying same cell with adult inmates.
According to him, prison authorities usually liaised with police prosecutors, magistrate and social welfare department on all matters pertaining to the incarceration of juveniles, arguing that the issue of juvenile inmates is never taken lightly by prison authorities, which is why they do everything possible to involve all stakeholders and as well other state parties in dealing with their cases.
Meanwhile, prison authorities in Banjul has confirmed that prisoners conditions have greatly improved since the dawn of this new regime, disclosing that prisoners have better feeding, accommodations and conditions.
They adduced to the press that the prisons are far from congestion, revealing that this is as a result of the release of many inmates by President Barrow.
“Our prisons are far from congestion because immediately this administration come into being they have released a significant number of inmates. Today we have about 480 inmates at Mile two, 180 inmates at Jeshwang and 31 prisoners at Janjanbureh,” Prison PRO, Supt. Lamin Ceesay revealed at this morning’s press briefing.