More remand prisoners secure their freedom

Accra, June 23, GNA - The Ghana Judicial Service and the Attorney-General's Department on Tuesday, continued the Phase Two of "Justice for all Programme" by disposing off more remand cases at the Nsa wam Medium Security Prison to decongest the facility.

Eleven special courts were set up in the prison, which heard 155 cas es leading to the discharge of 55 remanded prisoners and the conviction of 1 2 others. In addition, 23 accused persons were granted bail while 83 of the ca ses were adjourned to continue at the normal courts in Accra.

Mr Justice Benjamin T. Aryeetey, Supreme Court Judge and Chairman of

the National Task Force for the programme said other prisons in the regio ns would be covered. He announced that the next sitting of the Taskforce would be held at

Sekondi Prisons.

Mr Justice Aryeetey said special courts would be established to adjudicate cases referred to the normal courts during the judicial vacati on. He explained that the programme is intended to provide fair hearing for prisoners on remand for many years without being tried. The first phase held on May 18, dealt with 140 cases of prisoners wh o had been on remand for more than four years without trial.

Twenty-seven prisoners were discharged whilst 113 were granted bail. In another development, the Management of Law and International Education Consultancy Limited, an International Education Consultants, Gender and Governance Advocates presented toiletries worth GH¢200 to wo men inmates at the prison. Ms Mary Ohenewaa Afful, Chief Executive Officer of the organisation said the presentation was the widow's mite of members to bring smiles to the faces of the prisoners. She said during her first visit to the prison, she was informed that

the women had difficulty in acquiring soap to wash their clothes and take

their bath, and pledged to raise some resources to assist them. Ms Afful promised to assist a remand prisoner nursing a month-old ba by.