VIDEO: Don’t compromise on dignity of prisoners, says IGP
Dr George Akuffo Dampare is unhappy with the level of congestions at police cells across the country
The Inspector General of Police Dr George Akuffo Dampare has advised police officers to desist from practices that will dehumanise prisoners in the country.
He is urging his men to stop congesting the country’s cells in a bid to respect the dignity of prisoners .
Speaking on a tour to some Police cells in the Greater Accra Region , the IGP called on police officers to support his administration’s initiative to transform cells in the country.
” You dont put twenty five people in that space and at times they get to thirty , they get to forty and they are breathless, What we want to say is that irrespective of whoever is involved, he is a suspect ,he can be a criminal ,he can be a convict, the humanity of that person is like ours and we cannot take the dignity of it out,” he said.
He added “We have to be very humanistic, very , because it can happen to anyone of us, so we have to push this agenda of ensuring that this cell transformation also takes place.
https://youtu.be/2ZAQf5euJns
Community Sentencing Bill to decongest prisons
Meanwhile the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, is optimistic that the introduction of the Community Sentencing Bill will contribute immensely to reducing congestion in the country’s prisons.
The bill seeks to provide options for sentencing other than prison term for various offences considered not to be too serious.
Speaking after a visit to the James Camp Prison in Accra, Dame pledged to lead the advocacy in improving conditions in the prisons.
“I consider the passage of an Alternative Sentencing Act an urgent necessity. In this regard, I recently reviewed a draft Community Sentencing Bill that I charged the director of legislative drafting in my office to come up with,” he said.
“The draft bill seeks to provide options for sentencing other than prison term for various offences considered not to be too serious. It is going through the process of stakeholder consultations and will soon be laid before Parliament upon conclusion of same. I am treating both pieces of legislation as part of my priority legislations this year.”
He added: “Director-General, I promise also to lead the advocacy in improving conditions in our prisons. I have been very pleased to be here as it has given me sufficient insight into conditions existing in our prisons.”
Dame also said his ministry is working on the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, 1960 (Act 30) to incorporate plea bargaining firmly into the trial of cases.
The Attorney General was accompanied by his two deputies, Alfred Tuah – Yeboah and Diana Asonaba Dapaah, the solicitor-general Helen Akpene Awo Ziwu, the director of public prosecutions Yvonne Obuobisa and chief state attorney, Dr Sylvia Adusu.
Fred Dzakpata
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