Eight Remand Prisoners Discharged Under Justice For All Program

Eight remand prisoners at the Akuse Local Prison in the Eastern Region have been discharged, after two Courts sat on their cases, under the Justice for All Program.

In all 41 cases were heard, with eight applicants discharged, 14 inmates granted bail, 16 refused bail whilst applications of three persons struck out, because their cases are still pending at the Court for trial.

The accused persons has been in prison custody from five months to four years for various crimes, including murder, rape, stealing and illegal possession of narcotic substances.

The Justice for All Program established in 2007 seeks to alleviate overcrowding in various prisons by setting up special courts to adjudicate remand prisoner cases throughout the country with the joint efforts of the Judicial Service of Ghana, the office of the Attorney-General, the Ghana Prisons and the Ghana Police Service, and Civil Society. 

A Judge at the Court of Appeal, and the Chairman of the Justice for All Program, Justice Clemence Honyenuga, said the program which started some ten years ago, has dealt with 3427 inmates of which 688 were discharged, 1077 were granted bail and 138 convicted and sentenced.

He appealed to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and the Minister of the Interior to implement the non-custodial sentencing policy to help decongest the prisons to improve conditions.

He said this will however, call for the amendment of Criminal Procedure Act 30 and also salvage the state monies spent on convicts who were convicted and sentenced on minor offences.

He expressed gratitude to Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), British High Commission, United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Star Ghana, POS Foundation and various stakeholders for their enormous effort to the success of the program.

Mr. Jonathan Osei-Owusu who is the Chief Executive Director of POS Foundation, an NGO for human right advocacy that facilitates and coordinates the Justice for All Program, said, the NGO served as a legal aid for the remand prisoners by providing paralegals and lawyers to represent them during the sitting. 

He said a survey conducted by the foundation revealed that most prisoners in the country had skin diseases and bodily pains and it had over the years screened the prisoners and provided medications.

The Assistant Director of the Akuse Prisons, Edward Fiifi Acquah commended the Attorney General's Department and stakeholders for the exercise, stressing that it will help decongest the prisons.

Mr. Elvis Tetteh, a 24 year-old man who was discharged in an interview with the GNA, urged the youth to be cautious of their lives and stay out of trouble in their communities.

As part of activities, BAF Ghana International, a human rights service Non-Governmental Organisation donated medications to the Prison’s infirmary. 

Madam Sala Ouedraogo, the Founder of BAF Ghana International said the medications will enable the inmates to access primary healthcare.

The Akuse Local Prison was built in 1911 to accommodate 90 inmates, but ended up accommodating more than 210 inmates thus stretching the facilities in the prison.

GNA/GBC