The executive secretary of National Human Rights Commission, Professor Bem Angwe has decried the increasing number of awaiting trial inmates in the nation’s prisons saying penal institutions must conform to minimum international standards.
Addressing journalists at the flag off of the 2013 audit of prisons, police and other detention facilities, Professor Angwe says the incarceration of persons without trial is a gross violation of their rights.
He said all suspects charged with any offence deserves to be treated fairly and justly in order to decongest the nation’s prisons.
Some of the key findings in the area of access to justice of inmates in the 2012 audit report of prisons show that over 18,000 persons are awaiting trial.
Prof Angwe, who visited the Kuje prison to asses the situation of prisons, says the situation is deplorable.
The director of Public Prosecutions however assured the National Human Rights Commission that government is working towards decongesting the prisons.
The chairman of Senate Committee on Judiciary and his House of Representatives counterpart advocated the need for alternative sentencing of offenders saying some persons are sent to prison without fair trial.
For some of the prisoners, the judiciary remains their biggest enemy as they lamented cases of absentee Judges and long adjournment of cases.
The 2013 audit of prisons, police and other detention facilities was flagged off by the executive secretary of the national human rights commission with the aim of de-congesting the nation’s prisons.
