PHOTO: Prison Fellowship and Keyara’s Gift present food and generator to Monrovia Central Prison

By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com

The Prison Fellowship Liberia (PFL) has described the conditions of the inmates at the Monrovia Central Prison and prison facilities in other parts of the country as horrific and a time bomb, due to the over crowdedness and the inhuman environment.

The fellowship’s Country Director, Reverend Francis Kollie expressed disappointment that Liberian government would treat its citizens like animals, because   the courts  are now using the precondition of releasing the  inmates for  money making.

Rev. Kollie made the disclosure shortly after the donation of a generator and food items to the Monrovia Central Prison by the Prison Fellowship Liberia with funding from the Keyara’s Gift during the weekend.

According to him, his guests who accompanied him on the tour of the Monrovia Central Prison were in tears because they were horrified and surprised on how a government, which often boast of good human rights records will treat its own citizens and foreign national who have come in conflict with law, like wild beats.

He explained that the rooms for the inmates are so overcrowded until some are using the cloths tied to iron widows as beds since there is no enough space on the floor.

The Prison Fellowship Liberia Country Director is predicting that the situation may give rise to jail break, where people may lose their lives.

“As I am speaking, the President executive clemency granted for the release about 500 inmates has gone on the opposite with the dramatic increase on the number of inmate’s incarceration.”

Rev. Kollie pointed out that the courts are making money out of the incarceration of inmates because it has become pre-condition for release of detainees of some of who have over stayed out of the statutory period.

“As for the women ward which was constructed for less than five inmates, it is now hosting more 45 women including pregnant women; behind bars for months just owing 2,000 Liberian Dollars,” he said.

“It is about time that the Chief Justice, Francis Korkpor, to wake from his slumber and visit the Monrovia Central Prison and other prison facilities to see the dehumanizing conditions of prisons in Liberia.”

The PFL boss added: “With two more months before he retires, he needs to see things for himself or he will be leaving a bad legacy.”

The story is the same with every prison he visited, but Rev. Kollie said that the government is not giving any attention to the dehumanizing conditions in which inmates in prison facilities.

Weah’s Gov’t has no respect for human rights  

Meanwhile, the Prison Fellowship Reverend Kollie says he differs with President George Weah on his claim that his government has respect for human rights and justice in the country.

According to him, if the CDC-led government really does not have  respect for human rights  as evident by the  detention of  its citizens in such in an inhuman manner and people dying without being given justice.

               Pres. Weah

“I am so discouraged with this judicial system, the rule of law and the access to justice program in Liberia because the prisons are overcrowded, their rights abused and there are too much mysterious deaths in the country.”

Reverend Kollie said he cannot blame the Ministry of Justice because they have to receive funding from the Finance Ministry to undertake prison reforms.

“This is an indication of the lip service our leaders continue to mislead the masses especially those who rights have been abuses as a result of their conflict with the law.”

“Our government and its officials are not serious and I am worried about the information my guests will give  when they have returned to their country”

The 14-man delegation of Keyara’s Gift was in Liberia as a part of the celebration of their fifth anniversary and as part of their activities.

During their visit, they distributed food to children, most of whom parents have been affected by the Ebola, COVID-19 as well as visiting children of inmates benefitting from the Keraya’s Gift scholarship program, distributed medicines to clinics and orphanages.