Local Official Says It Poses Security Risk
PHOTO: Grand Cape Mt. County Coordinator, Bai L. Sherman
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
The County Coordinator of Grand Cape Mounty, Bai L. Sherman is calling on authorities of this western county responsible to provide water for the prison facility in that part of the county, due to the security risk it poses to the prison.
Drinking of unsafe water can lead to water borne diseases including Diarrhea.
Responding to the Judge’s Charge at the opening of the November A.D. Term of Court recently (November 11, 2024), Mr. Sherman authorities should be able to work along with the water corporation in the county to reduce the alarming threats pose on them by allowing inmates from prison to draw their own water outside of the prison facility.
“I was walking when I saw prisoners walking with water gallons on their heads with one prison officer walking behind them with nothing in his hands” and anything may happen along the way which poses serious security risks to the prison officers and by extension the citizens he added. The lack of water at prison facilities in Liberia is not only affecting Grand Cape Mount prison but all the prisons in the country.
He said it poses serious risks to citizens seeing prisoners’ moving with gallons in search of water with one prison officer assigned with them as the officer is vulnerable to more than 15 defendants.
Sherman mentioned that there is a need for the City Mayor to help so that water can be taken to the prison “it’s a risk to see prisoners going out for water for their own use,” let them remind in the prison facility until they can be tried.
The early warning sign is to do something about it.” It can be recalled that former Chief Justice Gloria Musu-Scott when at the Monrovia Central prison after been found guilty lamented on the deplorable condition faced by prisoners, mainly women and girls, craving the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) to supply the prison facility with water.
Now, this issue of water has entered into the remote counties where defendants go in search of water for their personal use. Cllr. Scott who is now a free woman when at the prison, pointed out that water is one of the most pressing needs of the already overcrowded prison and pleaded with authorities responsible to do an assessment on how water can be brought into the prison compound; adding that “it is difficult to get water from the wells.”
Regarding this issue, Varney Lake, Superintendent of the Prison pleads to national government and international partners to assist the prison management with food, water among others.
He added that the water situation mat the central prison is a concern that needs to be looked at with urgency. Meanwhile, Sherman used the occasion to call on the jury that there is another aspect to be juror; that is, to know how to read, write and understand.
“There is a need to also look at repeated jurors so the same faces of jury will not resurface and it’s important to justice,” he stressed.
Mr. Sherman added, “You can come from anywhere to serve the court but the same faces should not be coming over and over so that people coming is to serve the court for the right purpose.