By Adama Makasuba
Janjanbureh Prison Commissioner of Prisons, Bubacarr Jatta, confirmed to visiting Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) on Wednesday that there is only one female convict in Janjanbureh prison in Central River Region.
He told delegation led by Dr Lamin Sise, TRRC chairman that the young girl was convicted for baby dumping.
The team visited Janjanbureh Prisons as part of their investigation to gathered firsthand information and they were upon the arrival Commissioner Jatta.
He disclosed that prisons have 31 inmates and cell 1, 3, 4 are empty, adding that remand wing all have 10 inmates each cell.
Meanwhile, the delegations discovered that all the cells has no bed and in cell one it was discovered that there were wooden planks placed on the floor with weak mattresses as beds for the inmates and the cell has only one window.
It was disclosed that the cell was where Lamin Waa Juwara was held incommunicado. “We don’t use this cell now,” Commissioner Jatta said.
In two cells that contain convicted inmates, they have wooden planks that serve as bed. Each plank has an old mattress with a bed sheet. It was observed that each of the cells has 9 windows without mosquito proofs. Each of the cells has two toilets without doors. There were no mosquito nets.
The Remand Wing conditions are similar like the convict cells, and the only difference was that each bed has a bed net.
Like other detention centers, inmates at the Janjanbureh complain of rights violations.
“I am charged with rape. I have been here for over year and my case is not progressing. I miss my court days,” one Sellou Jallow told TRRC delegates.
“I am charged with attempted rape. I was brought here in August 2018 and no witness has testified in my case. I missed going to court and I am left in limbo about the case,” Ebrima Camara said.
Another inmate, Muhammed Bah claimed that he is a teenager aged 16 and says he has been held in the same cell with adult in remand wing.
Commissioner Jatta told the TRRC that out of the 31 inmates, there are four foreigners one Senegalese, one Ivorian and two citizens of Guinea Bissau.
Continuing their tour chairman Sise and his team proceeded to the new conviction cells constructed in 2015. The new structure also has similar conditions like the remand and the other conviction cells and the difference is that it has larger space.
