By: The Fatu Network Editorial
Inmates held at Mile II State Central Prison have initiated an urgent plea directed towards the Gambian government, conveyed through the Ministries of Justice and Interior. Their appeal is for the establishment of an office within the prison premises, dedicated to assisting inmates, particularly those facing challenges in accessing their court records when seeking to file appeals.
This request came after some young politicians from Kanifing Municipality, along with the NGO Peace Network and the Bob Keita Foundation, visited Mile II State Central Prison. During the visit, a person named Sheikh Tijan Hydara, who is in prison, told them that the prison holds people from different countries who are serving different lengths of time in prison.
He conveyed that while conversing among themselves, certain inmates divulged that due to their non-Gambian status, they lack family members or guardians who could assist them in obtaining their court records. This deficiency in records, according to him, renders the appeal court unable to intervene in their sentences effectively.
Hydara also articulated his apprehension regarding what he termed the ‘government’s incapacity’ to ensure an adequate supply of medication at the Mile II Clinic. He asserted that the government has overlooked the needs of the prison facility.
