Seventeen prisoners released from Koforidua prisons under Justice for All

Accra, August 04, GNA – Seventeen Remand Centers
detainees at Koforidua Central Prison in the eastern region were
as part of the Justice for All program.

The detainees, most of whom have been on
remand for a long period of time gained their freedom after the judges had
applications accepted.

Briefing to the media after the court session,
Judge Clemence Honyenuga, said it was a record for the 17 detainees
discharge.

He said on a total of 55 applications
who were taken into account, 17 were released, two were sentenced and imprisoned, 21
were released on bail, 10 bail applications were denied and five were victims of a stroke
outside.

He said that some of the cases dealt with
with cases of murder, with some cases of causing harm and narcotics.

He mentioned that from October this year,
the program would be decentralized so that the judges of the regions could manage them,
saying, they were finalizing the process for it to start.

Judge Honyenuga congratulated the Government for
to take over funding for the Justice for All program since the last
exercise at this year.

He said in the 11-year history of
program, they had to go hand-to-hand begging their foreign donors for funding,
to say, it was a bit of relief for them now because it was now well-founded and
funded by the government.

Ms. Emily Addo Kyere from the lawyer
Generals said the challenge they faced most of the time was
that the roles, from the police stations, were not pbaded on
to them in time for advice.

What she said mostly delayed the cases,
adding that the duration of investigations was also a cause of the delay.

She stated that the Justice for All program had
come to serve a real course since most defendants have a real
case.

Benedict Bob Dery, Deputy Director of
Koforidua say they are delighted that some inmates who were in jails
detention for a very long time were actually released, saying that this was happening
decongest the prison in one way.

He said that the program had also given some of
detainees who have not been in court for a very long time the possibility of
meet the judges who have determined their destiny.

He said that the authorized capacity for Koforidua
there were 400 prisons, but there were currently 738 inmates, which resulted in overcrowding.

He said that a program like this was so useful
by reducing pressure and tension in the yard.

GNA