Audio By Carbonatix
Eighteen remand prisoners kept in custody for years have been freed under a justice for all programme reactivated as a result of Joy News Documentary "Locked and Forgotten."
Two High Court Judges Clemence Honyenuga, who is also chairman of the Justice for all programme, and another member of the programme Constance Hometowu pitched camp at the Koforidua prisons, Friday, to revisit forgotten cases of remand prisoners.
Joy News' Seth Kwame Boateng who championed the documentary reported that the freed prisoners were accused of various offences including narcotics.
Sitting like a court in the prisons, Judges Honyenuga and Hometowu acquitted and discharged some of the suspects, others were freed but with some conditions.
Some of the suspects had spent between three to five years on remand for crimes that would probably take a little less custodial sentence.
The common charges against the remand prisoners included theft, defrauding by false pretense, possesion of narcotic drugs and murder.
A High court judge said he convicted about 31 but they would soon go home because their sentence covered the period of their detention.
The judges will then move to other prisons across the country after Friday's sittings.
The Justice for all programme introduced around 2008 to decongest the country's prisons was suspended following reports that some of the suspects who were released under the programme went back to commit other criminal offences.
But the chilling reports in Joy FM's documentary about the inhumane conditions in the country's prisons have led the judiciary to revisit its stance on remand prisoners and the justice for all programme.
The Chief Justice Mrs Georgina Wood has tasked all stakeholders in the judiciary to work towards restoring sanity in the prisons.
She assembled all judges and showed them documentary in order for them to see the horrifying conditions under which the prisoners were living.
The judges later took turns to visit the prisons across the country to see at first hand the heart wrenching conditions.
The resumption of the justice for all programme is part of many efforts to decongest the prisons.
Latest Stories
-
Trump urges Xi to free Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai
14 minutes -
Trump sues BBC for defamation over Panorama speech edit
25 minutes -
Mariah Carey to sing at Winter Olympics opening ceremony
5 hours -
Man United and Bournemouth draw 4-4 in extra ordinary thriller
5 hours -
Canada’s Carney called out for ‘utilizing’ British spelling
5 hours -
Smooth end to Messi India tour after Kolkata chaos
5 hours -
Epstein’s UK flights had alleged British abuse victims on board, BBC finds
5 hours -
Rob Reiner’s son Nick arrested for murder after director and wife found dead
5 hours -
What to delete from your emails to be taken more seriously at work
6 hours -
Airbnb fined £56m by Spain for advertising unlicensed properties
6 hours -
Activist petitions Interior Ministry over custodial death, demands mandatory budget for detainee meals
6 hours -
Men should take up jobs in makeup artistry – Cosmetology Expert
7 hours -
Court’s verdict an injustice, I’ve filed an appeal – Atiwa East DCE
7 hours -
Kpandai: If SC ruling goes against us, Ghana’s laws have stopped working – NPP’s Haruna Mohammed
7 hours -
Energy Minister receives PSP framework to drive efficiency in power distribution sector
8 hours
