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24.10.2014 Crime & Punishment

25 Remand Prisoners Freed  

By Daily Guide
25 Remand Prisoners Freed
24.10.2014 LISTEN

Twenty-five prisoners, caged for years at the Sekondi Prison in the Western Region, who were awaiting trial, were released last Wednesday after two courts had heard their cases under the 'Justice for All' programme.

Many of the remand prisoners were being held in the prison on expired warrants of commitment.

The suspects have spent between three and 11 years on remand for various crimes, including armed robbery, fraud, stealing, drug-related cases and murder.

'Justice for All' is a programme initiated by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS). It is aimed at ensuring that justice is provided for every citizen, irrespective of one's background.

The initiative, which is supported by the “Perfector of Sentiment” (POS) Foundation, an NGO, in collaboration with Centre for Law and Development Policy at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Law School, is also to help decongest the prisons of the large numbers of remand inmates.

It has over the years helped bring some form of justice to persons who had been on remand without any opportunity for a court hearing.

The two courts were presided over by two high court judges, Justice John Ajet-Nasam and Justice Constant Hometowu.

Out of the 39 cases reviewed, 16 applicants were granted bail while the applications of four of the remand prisoners were refused.

Justice John Ajet-Nasam explained that the 'Justice for All' roject was being implemented nationwide to help decongest the country's prisons and ensure justice for all inmates who had been on remand for more than four years, awaiting trial.

He applauded the manner in which the police were collaborating with the judiciary for the implementation of the project.

He then debunked the perception by a section of the public that police prosecutors sometimes adopt certain strategies to intentionally delay cases in court.

'You can see the way the police and the state attorney are helping to ensure the success of the project', he told journalists who were present at the court to witness the proceedings.

Justice Clemence Honyenuga, an Appeals Court Judge with oversight responsibility for Criminal Justice and Remand Prisoners, mentioned that since the project was started in 2007, about 1,980 cases had been considered.

He indicated that out of the number, 496 applicants had been discharged while 41 applicants had been convicted.

Jonathan Osei Owusu, Executive Director of POS Foundation, revealed that up to one-third of Ghana's prison population consisted of prisoners who had been detained while awaiting trial.

'The access to justice project seeks to alleviate prison overcrowding by setting up special courts to adjudicate remand prisoner cases throughout the country,” he underscored.

Congested Sekondi Prison
In an interview, DCOP Josephine Fredua Agyemang, Commander of the Sekondi Prison, bemoaned the fact that the facility was congested, which she noted, did not augur well for easy management of the inmates.

She pointed out that a cell which was originally meant for about 50 inmates, now had about 145 convicts.

She therefore supported the initiative to help decongest the prison.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Sekondi

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