“We found out that the situation of the prisoners in The Gambia were not fit for human beings to be kept in such circumstances – which is against human rights standards,” Hon. Ceesay said in an exclusive interview with The Point.
After a thorough tour of Gambia prison cells, the Serekunda West lawmaker, also a member of the human rights committee of the National Assembly concluded that the cells in the country should be properly checked and monitored.
The committee visited 17 police stations and had a thorough inspection of the cells. Out of the 17 cells, he said, most of them have similar issues of limited ventilation; limited lights and they were all dissatisfied with most of them, Hon. Ceesay said.
Hon. Ceesay further said the law presumed an accused to be innocent until proven guilty. “But even if the person is found guilty, every human being has a right to a decent detention place and should have the right to food, air, and water.”
Farafenni and Mandinaba police cells, he said, have the worst condition of cells and they need immediate and proper care.
As a committee, he said they took firm and immediate steps to make sure the cells are upgraded and befitting for human beings.
With support from philanthropists, those two cells are currently on a massive renovation, he said.
“Police should be aware of prisoners’ diets. They will have to apply to the governor’s office for monthly ransom money to provide meals for the detainees,” he pointed out.
He also made a recommendation for the Ministry of Interior to include money in the budgetary line for parliament to approve so that they would have enough prisoners’ diet.
Further, the Janjanbureh prison, which is one of the main prisons in the country has 41 convicts and 40 remands.
The prison has only two ceiling fans that cannot accommodate all. He recommended more fans be provided.
“During the visit of the committee to the central Mile II prison, out of 336 prisoners, 180 were remanded and the rest were convicts.”
He concluded that the condition at Mill II was worse and more congested due to the slow prosecutions. He thus recommended the Justice Ministry to consider that. “The remand section needs an overall renovation.”
