There has been increased demand for changes to be made in Liberia’s infamous prison system. This comes after a group of over 200 prisoners staged a demonstration at a prison in the northern region of Nimba county, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s inability to supply them with sufficient food and medical care.
There have been ongoing grievances regarding the prisons in West Africa, as they are consistently overcrowded and lack basic medical resources, hygiene products, and proper uniforms for inmates.
In the previous year, a correctional facility located in Monrovia, the capital, experienced a depletion of food supplies. As a result, two out of the 15 prisons in the country temporarily halted receiving new prisoners due to lack of food.
Liberia’s national director of prisons, Reverend Sainleseh Kwaidah, attributed the shortages to various issues such as overcrowding, insufficient infrastructure, and difficulties with budget allocation and distribution.
Kwaidah stated that the budget is primarily allocated for operations, leaving little to no resources for implementing reforms. He also noted that out of the 16 prisons, only six have clinical facilities, resulting in a rotation of medical staff and services in the remaining 10 facilities.
The 2021 report by the General Auditing Commission revealed a consistent decline in government funding from $1.8 million in 2013 to $311,208 in 2020, reflecting budget restrictions.
In December 2022, the Monrovia central prison, which is the largest in the country, declined to accept new prisoners due to overcrowding. In the same year, a human rights report from the US state department revealed that the prison was holding 1,426 inmates even though its capacity was only 374. The report stated that at times, prisoners had to take turns sleeping due to the overcrowded conditions.
A significant portion of prisoners are individuals awaiting trial and have not yet received a verdict from the court. According to a report by the United Nations, as of November 2022, 73% of the total prison population of 3,256 were pre-trial detainees.
Due to the ongoing scarcity of food, prisons across the nation have been forced to rely on donations of food and hygiene products from private organizations. The Liberian Bar Association (LBA) is also establishing legal assistance clinics for individuals awaiting trial who have been detained for longer than legally allowed, in an effort to reduce their population.
Professor Jamal C Detho, the vice-president of the LBA and an expert in the field of law, advocated for an increase in plea bargaining and the implementation of an alternative method of resolving disputes for minor offenses in order to decrease the number of inmates. He also emphasized the importance of providing proper training for probation officers and establishing an efficient probation system that allows individuals to complete community service instead of serving time in jail for minor offenses.
Joseph Boakai, who was recently elected as the president of Liberia, will take office in the upcoming year. He narrowly defeated the current president, George Weah, in a runoff election. Weah, a former soccer player, gained popularity and was elected in 2017, but has faced criticism for the slow progress in addressing issues such as corruption, poverty and unemployment.
The government made a commitment in the previous year to construct a new prison in order to alleviate overcrowding. However, construction has not yet commenced. As a temporary solution, certain prisons have undergone renovations and the government has also initiated programs for inmates to grow their own food at two prisons.
Kwaidah stated that there is a strategic plan in place until 2027 aimed at reforming prisons. He emphasized the need for everyone to be involved and expressed hope for increased implementation of the plan.
Source: theguardian.com
