Prison Service clarifies Point’s article ‘Lack of vehicles at prisons hinders court proceedings’

However, to avoid ill-informed conclusions by well-meaning Gambians, the management wishes to set the record straight and clarify some of the unsubstantiated allegations mentioned in the said report.

1. Firstly, due to the continued commitment of the Gambia government to improving the condition of the country's prison service, the government purchased two 14-seat vans with the objective of addressing the transportation constraint. One of the vans was deployed to Janjangbureh prison, while the other one was stationed at Mile Two Central Prison, meant, among others, to transport inmates to courthouses.
2. Aside from these vehicles, the prison services also have three buses. It’s important to note that these three buses are also used to transport inmates to the High Court for court proceedings. Additionally, the prison department also uses staff vehicles where necessary, all geared towards ensuring that inmates attend their court proceedings and are on time.
3. Let me emphatically make it clear that, from our record, there has never been a time when the courts wrote directly to the Gambia Prison Service complaining about either the absence of inmates or delays as a result of lack of transportation. Since the change of government in 2016, the judiciary has operated independently without any interference. Therefore, if indeed, there was persistent delay from our end, the court would have written to the GPS or charge us for contempt. However, this has never been the case. 
4. Again, due to the continued commitment of the Prison High Command in addressing the welfare of inmates, the GPS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with other sister security services, all geared towards ensuring the issue of transportation is addressed. Where the inmates going to court proceedings are many, the GPS can use vehicles belonging to other security units to transport the said prisoners to court.
5. We believe that the reporter doesn’t understand the procedures as to how inmates are moved from prisons to courts. To set the record straight, the prison authorities are only responsible for transporting inmates that are charged with capital offenses, while police prosecutors or DLEAG prosecutors are solely responsible for transporting inmates that have been tried in the magistrates' court.
6. While the issue of transportation remains a challenge for many institutions in the country to which GPS is not an exception, we want to assure Gambians that the government, through the ministry of Interior, is more than committed to addressing issues affecting GPS and also respecting the fundamental human rights of inmates.
7. Again, Commissioner Jatta has not in any way mentioned that the lack of vehicles is hindering court proceedings. What he (Jatta) said was that “there is a need to have a truck vehicle with a view to helping the prison authorities in Janjangbureh to collect firewood and to also transport food items from Mile Two prison to Janjangbureh prison.
8. Therefore, in an effort to address some of the transportation challenges the GPS is encountering, the government of The Gambia will be purchasing a new truck this year meant to address our transportation issue. In fact, it has been included in this year’s budget. We want to assure you all that gone are those days when the GPS is neglected. Since the change of government in 2016, the current administration has, over the years, worked tirelessly to provide a conducive environment at the prisons.

Finally

In conclusion, we want to assure the public that the Gambia Prison Service remains committed to ensuring that all inmates are provided with their right to a fair and timely trial without any recourse, as it’s a pinnacle to their fundamental human rights, and we will continue to respect that.

Signed

Spokesperson of The Gambia Prison Service.