I Won't Fill Nsawam Prisons With Corrupt Officials

The Special Prosecutor nominee, Martin Amidu says he has no intentions of populating the Nsawam Prisons with public officers who are established to have engaged in corrupt practices.

The management of the Nsawam prisons already, for him, are looking for avenues to reduce the number of prisoners under their care and he has no intentions of adding on.

“The issue is not necessarily wanting to fill Nsawam with people. One of the issues of prison administration is to reduce the number there so that we don’t spend money feeding people whom we shouldn’t feed so I see this plea bargaining thing as a good incentive.”

Mr Amidu was responding to a question posed by Member of Parliament for Aburi-Nsawam, Osei Bonsu Amoah about his thoughts on plea bargaining as stated in the constitution and how to prevent its abuse.

In his response, he said there will be no point in imprisoning a corrupt person if, “you can get the money back. I think that is better for the nation, instead of imprisoning him for 10 years, feeding him for 10 years, giving him prison clothing for 10 years and if he is grown, he will have chronic conditions and you will be sending him to the hospital up and down and the president may be compelled to give him an early pardon.”

He said those who want to make reparation for the consideration of the court and have agreed to “go and sin no more” will be considered.

However, the office will “take into consideration all the grounds on which reparation must be accepted and the reparation must be reasonable because it will eventually come to the knowledge of the people of this country.”

Mr Amidu said his office will ask all the necessary questions to ensure that the provision as stated in the constitution is not taken advantage of.

“When we get something that is reasonable, the court will endorse it,” he stressed.

He promised to ensure that the office acts reasonably in its work and that only cases that are in the national interest after investigations will be made public.

“So that the people who think the office will be locking people left right and centre, will realize that the office will act reasonably.

“When people realise their faults and say ‘please, I will pay reparation', why not…even God forgives, why not we,” he added.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | Naa Sakwaba Akwa | E: [email protected]