Justice for all: 12 inmates discharged from Nsawam Prison
By DL News
Published
Updated
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Another inmate was acquitted and discharged, ten were granted bail, and two were denied bail.
Twelve inmates of the Nsawam Prison were released on Wednesday by an ad-hoc court under the Justice For All Program(JFAP).
Another inmate was acquitted and discharged, ten were granted bail, and two were denied bail. Many of these prisoners had been detained for years without trial for various offenses, including murder and unnatural carnal knowledge.
The hearings at Nsawam Medium Security Prison were overseen by Justice Osei Lydia Marfo and Justice Akuffo, with Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe supervising.
Commenting on the development, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe urged investigators to be diligent to prevent inmates from languishing in prison.
She further praised the Justice for All program and emphasized the need for investigators to be diligent in avoiding unjust pre-trial detentions.
Additionally, Justice Botwe highlighted the issue of "reasonable time" for pre-trial detentions, which remains undefined in Ghana’s legal system, contributing to prolonged detentions and prison overcrowding.
The JFAP which was initiated in 2007, has notably reduced prisoner overcrowding in Ghana, from 51% in December 2018 to 42.6% in May 2024.
As of May 2024, Ghana's prison population stood at 14,647 against an authorized capacity of 10,265, with 13,057 convicts and 1,590 pre-trial detainees. The remand population has significantly decreased to 10.86%.
Justice Asare Botwe has meanwhile expressed optimism that collaboration among Criminal Justice Institutions and stakeholders will further reduce pre-trial detention periods.
