Two inmates at the Ankaful Prison have been freed under the Justice for All Programme after a team of judges visited the prison on Friday.
Alex Dagati, who was charged with rape and has been on remand for 8 years was amongst several persons released on Friday. Richard Mensah, who had been on remand for several months and charged for possession of narcotics was also discharged under the programme.
34 other remand prisoners at the Ankaful Annex and Winneba Prisons have also been shortlisted to benefit from the Justice for All Initiative
The prisoners on Friday presented their cases before two courts who have pitched their tents within the Prison premises with the hope that they will have their liberties restored to them.
Twenty one (21) out of the thirty four (34) are in the Ankaful Annex Prison and the remaining thirteen (13) are in the Winneba Prisons. They have been on remand for a number of years for offences such as rape, manslaughter, possession of narcotics, conspiracy to commit robbery, attempt to commit murder, causing unlawful damage, fraudulent breach of trust, threat of death, causing harm amongst others.
The remand prisoners will have free legal representation from a group of lawyers who are familiar with their cases. The State will be represented by legal officers from the AG’s department in the Central region.
The two courts will first sit at the Ankaful Annex Prison and will subsequently move to the Winneba Prison. Court Of Appeal Judge, Justice Clermence Honyenuga, and High Court Judge, Justice Emmanuel Lodoh, will be presiding in the Two Courts.
The Justice For All Pragramme is an initiative aimed at alleviating prison overcrowding through setting up special courts sittings to adjudicate remand prisoner cases in prisons throughout the country.
The Programme was initiated in 2007 by the then Attorney-General’s Department/Minister for Justice, Hon. Joe Ghartey in close collaboration with the Judicial Service of Ghana, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Prisons Service, Lawyers, as well as Civil Society groups.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
