By Mark N. Mengonfia
Prisoners at the Monrovia Central Prison over the weekend forced correction officers to a goalless draw in an ongoing inter-prison bloc league.
The weekend’s game saw Correction Officers playing against convicted prisoners which ended zero, zero.
Speaking shortly after the Correction Officers and convicts game, some of the prisoners who played in that match said it was one of the best things that ever happened to them, since they were imprisoned at the Monrovia Central Prison (South Beach).
Junior Roberts, a convict who shined during the game said: “I tried my possible best to defeat the correction officers, but it was not easy.”
According to him, it was a plus on the part of the Ministry of justice mainly the correctional officers and the newly appointed Assistant Minister for Correction and Rehabilitation, Eddie Tarawali.
He praised Assistant Minister Tarawali for doing well to have prisoners sense the main reason for correction.
When Junior Roberts was quizzed how he views the inter prison bloc league.
“I see it very find, very necessary because since we came here, we have not had such program and for the new leadership of the Ministry of Justice to do this for us, I am very happy,” inmate Roberts said.
Another prisoner, Boakai Kamara said” the game was wonderful and great. FB was going against correction officers today. Really I admired the game very much my brother. You see, some of us have been sentence for five years, ten years and above so when we are having these kinds of program it will greatly help manage our stress level”.
FB is the prison bloc at South Beach prison that houses convicted prisoners.
Convict Boakai Kamara used the opportunity to plead with the administration of the Monrovia Central Prison to often have such programs of them so as to keep them active.
For his part convict Frances Mulbah who has spent nine (9) years seven (7) months.
“I am happy for this new minister because for many years we are just here, no activities so I want to thank God for this young man and I want to thank President Weah for appointing him to serve this position because he knows about prison management,” inmate Mulbah added.
Also speaking, Abu Kili who was allowed to come out to witness the game said that he was unhappy with his players on grounds that they failed defeat the correction officers.
“I really wanted my boys to beat the correction officers” convict Abu Kili said with smiles across his face.
Emmanuel Sayan who has spent seven (7) years appreciated the correction officers for leaving their activities to play football games with them (prisoners).
“But I want to tell the officers to try hard because we are not going to allow the trophy to leave the Monrovia Central Prison,” convict Emmanuel Sayan indicated.
Prisoners were seen dancing and laughing as some popular Liberian music and other music were being played.
The game, which was commentated by prisoner Ben Jackson, drew lots of excitement with the Commentator describing every player on the playing pitch.
On March 6, NB bloc played FE bloc and D played FF while on March 8, FD bloc played MC bloc and FA bloc clashing with FC.
On March 10, correction officers had a hard encounter with convicted prisoners while NB also played FF.
On March 13, FD will take on D and FA Vs FE while on March 15 2018, MC lack it with FC.
Speaking to reporters after the match between the officers and the convicts, Assistant Justice Minister for Correction, Eddie S. Tarawali who himself played on both sides, said it was important to have those kinds of activities with prisoners to reduce their stress levels.
According to him, those social dropout need activities that will make them feel part of society despite their action which led them into imprisonment.
“We need to do what we called psychological reduction of many of our inmates,” Assistant Minister Tarawali said.
“If you visit our prisons, 75 to 80 % of our inmates are young people and so as a leader, you need to be very innovative in other to reduce the psychological stress. That is why we saw it important to organize these kinds of league,” the new Assistant Justice Minister for Correction explained.
According to him, he and his team members at the Liberian Justice Ministry including Correction Officers, will ensure that the league is replicated to the remaining prison facilities in Liberia.
Tarawali said “they will feel the presence of their young minister in the remaining prisons.”