On Friday the 30th August 2024, the Chief Minister of Sierra Leone, Dr. David Sengeh paid fines to the tune of Nle 111,700 for forty- seven (47) inmates incarcerated in the Pujehun Correctional Centre, for various petty offences.
This gesture will help reduce overcrowding in the Pujehun Correctional Centre which was constructed to originally house seventy- six (76) inmates. However, as at the time of the gesture, there were over one hundred inmates lodged in the Centre.
Dr. Sengeh said Correctional Centres were crowded with people who were poor- “they could not pay the fines for which they were convicted; more troubling is the fact that about 90% of the inhabitants are young people”.
“While the Government of President Bio”, he continued, “has now passed a new Law in the Criminal Procedure Act which addresses some of these issues that poor people behind bars, more justice still needs to be done, quickly!”
He indicated that he would see to it that a Judge was sent to “visit the prisons immediately” to resolve ongoing cases. About a dozen or more inmates have not been tried for up to two years, he observed, adding “we won’t stop until everyone can get access to quality justice”.
The Chief Minister also observed that the Centre had no fence, which can lead to a security breach; and that Pujehun also lacked a separate structure for the housing of female inmates. He said he would take that up with relevant authorities for addressing. He also promised to make it a priority, and provide industrial tools to the Centre for inmates’ training and rehabilitation.
“In all of these, Prison Officers’ welfare should be at the forefront. If the officers who look after these inmates are not properly incentivised, we can’t expect them to churn out better citizens from Prisons,” he concluded.
Thanking the Chief Minister, the Ag. DG of the SLCS- Brig. Gen. Massaquoi, said the fines paid for the
release of forty- seven inmates is unprecedented in the country in terms of enormity. “There is no time in this country that inmates are released from any Correctional Centre in this magnitude, apart from the execution of Presidential Pardon. Even that, it is only in Pademba Road Correctional Centre that such a number is released.”
The Chief Minister visited the Pujehun Correctional Centre in the company of the Ag. DG of the SLCS; the Secretary to the President (Dr. Gaima); two Members of Parliament (Hon. Dickson Rogers and Hon. Siaka Sama); Paramount Chief Sheku Koroma of Futa Pejeh; a District Councilor; and few Local Stakeholders.
Credit – SLCS PR…