SANNIQUELLIE, February 10 (LINA) - Sanniquellie Central Prison Superintendent, Torwon Gonqueh, is urging courts in Nimba to speedily hear cases involving pre-trial detainees languishing behind bars to reduce congestion at prisons across the county.

Gonqueh, who is also the county’s chief correction officer, said 82 persons in his custody are in pretrial detention and many have gone more than two terms of court without trial.
The Chief Correction Officer made the disclosure at the opening session of the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie Monday.

Gonqueh told the Court that delays in trial place heavy financial burden on government and also ridicules the judicial system.

“In order to lessen the economic burden impose on the government as a result of this, all courts must carry out speedy, free, and fair trail of prisoners placed in prison cells,” Gonqueh noted.
 
According to Gonqueh, the central prison has about 133 prisoners of which 51 have gone through court trials while 82 are facing prolonged pretrial detentions, noting that prisoners at the Central Prison have for the past weeks chanted slogans calling for speedy trial.
LINA