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11.05.2005 Regional News

Congestion at Winneba prison

11.05.2005 LISTEN
By GNA

Winneba, May 11, GNA - The Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Directorate of the Commission on Human Right and Administration Justice (CHRAJ) has expressed concern over congestion and bad conditions at the Winneba Central Prison.

Mr Richmond Mensah, the District Director who led a team of officials from the commission to inspect the prison as part of the commission's inspection tour of prisons in the country, appealed for improvement in the situation.

Mr Mensah told the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday that the prison was so congested that 45 prisoners are occupying a room meant for three prisoners.

The number of remand persons outnumbered the convicted prisoners and some of the remand prisoners had been in custody for about 10 years. Out of 168 inmates at the prison about 110 are on remand. Mr Samuel Akolibira, the Officer In charge of the prison, expressed worry over the long stay of remand prisoners and said the long stay ''sometimes makes them develop psychological problems and other disabilities. Sometimes they vent their anger on the prison authorities''

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