CHRAJ Commissioner expresses disgust about Ashaiman police cells

Ashaiman, Feb. 13, GNA - Mr Justice Francis Emile Short, Commissione= r of the Commission on Human

Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on Friday, expressed disgust at=

the conditions of the Ashaiman

Police cells. "I just do not understand why the authorities would allow human bein= gs to live under such inhumane

conditions", he said. Mr Justice Short, who was accompanied by his two deputies, Madam Han= na Bossman and Mr Richard

Quayson, and other officials, shook his head in disbelief, after visiting=

the Cells to assess the human rights

situation there. His visit followed the death of two inmates of the Cells on Sunday evening and Monday morning, and the

collapse of three others, due to suffocation and excessive heat at the Cells. Mr Justice Short stated that it was very sad that even though Ghana was talking about growing her

democracy, the rights of prisoners were not respected. He again said, instead of using cells and prisons, as correctional homes, prisoners were rather subjected to

cruelty and "these people would come out rather as monsters". At the time of the visit, a headcount by the CHRAJ boss revealed tha= t there were 30 inmates in the Cell,

which was supposed to take 10 people. There was lack of ventilation in the Cells, as it had only a few hol= es at the top, instead of windows. The situation has created immense heat, which has led to most of the=

inmates having skin disorders. The Commissioner observed that some of the inmates have stayed in th= e Cell for over six months, while

some, who have been granted bail by the courts, were still being kept in the Cells. Mr Justice Short indicated that "the Cells is so hot that staying th= ere for just five minutes was unbearable

for me, if the condition persists, more inmates will die from excessive heat". He stated that "they must be treated with some amount of dignity as human beings". "How can they keep a 16-year-old boy in the same cells with adults f= or six months; this is unacceptable?"

the Commissioner queried. He said as a matter of urgency, some of the prisoners must be taken to other cells, while a window with

iron bars must be provided to ensure ventilation. Mr Justice Short disclosed that he would meet with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on the issue, to

find a solution to it He further disclosed that he would pay a second visit to gather statistics on every inmate in the cells. Superintendent Peter Kobina, Ashaiman District Police Commander, answering questions from the

Commissioner, said the cell currently contained 26 inmates, as 14 of them=

were taken to the Nsawam Prisons