By Yusupha Jobe
As Covid-19 continuing to spread in the country, the Ministry of Justice is almost at an advance stage to free some prisoners sentenced with minor offences as part of measure to curb the spread of the pandemic in the country.
The country’s Solicitor General, Cherno Marena, who spoke to Kerr Fatu over the weekend, said: “The problem is that people want everything to be done at the same time which is not possible. So, as I am speaking to you now, plans are already at advance stage to take such measures of releasing some prisoners with minor crimes.”
He continued that “you cannot just go to prison and start releasing everybody. You have to look at the kind of offence they have committed. First you have to consider the safety of Gambian people to avoid additional menace in the society.”
According to him before releasing any prisoner there are factors to put in consideration because people committed most heinous crimes cannot be taken out of prison just like that because of COVID-19, it can also have an implication on the victims at the wider society.”
Therefore, he said, there is need to pick and choose carefully and it is done in some other countries as there is no mass release of all prisoners, “so very soon an announcement will be done on that regard.”