Magistrates have been ordered by the Supreme Court to release pre-trial detainees being held for minor offenses, in the wake of the overcrowding of the Monrovia Central Prison, which has led to growing health crisis and debilitating conditions of inmates.
As Garmah Never Lomo reports, the mandate was given by the honorable court to Magistrates in Montserrado County to release Pre-trial detainees with minor offenses, who served beyond a period of a 30-day jail term.
Last week, the Central Prison Superintendent, Varney Lake said they reverted to rejecting suspect criminals due to overcrowding, after the assistant Justice Minister for Correction denied media reports of deaths of inmates there.
According to prison officials, the prison which was built many decades ago for over three hundred inmates, was not having well over one this overcrowded as such they have vowed not to allow any more inmates until measures are put in place to address overcrowding at the Monrovia Central Prison.
The Supreme Court’s recent decision followed an outcome of a meeting between Justice Minister—Frank Musa Dean and Justices of the Supreme Court in connection with the huge overcrowding of the prison facility.
Earlier, the Magisterial Court in the densely populated slum community of West Point in central Monrovia issued a contempt charge against Monrovia Central Prison Superintendent Lake for refusing to jail a defendant from the court.
Some of the inmates complained of an outbreak of strange skin disease at the prison Assistant Justice Minister for correction could not uprightly confirm, but he said if the prison is extremely overcrowded you expect such.