Prison Watch (SL) Concern Over Juvenile Detention Center

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The President of Sierra Leone grants Presidential Pardon to 10 juveniles

By Sylvester Samba

The Program Manager, Prison Watch (SL), Mr. Ahmed Salieu Jalloh expressed total dissatisfaction over the detention conditions of juvenile homes. Especially, Bo Remand Home.

Addressing the Press at his 10 Gabriel Street office in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Friday 17th April 2019, Mr. Jalloh said the house which is now used as the Bo Remand Home initially was constructed as a store and later converted to house children in conflict with the law in that part of the country.

The conditions of the detention cells were inhumane; sleeping areas without electricity and very hot. Lack of food supply and water and sanitation remain a continuing problem coupled with abusive treatment by prison authorities, according to eye witnessed testimonies documented in a report. In the juvenile detention centers, no medical facilities and practicing health personnel available.

As of 16th May, 2019, the detention population in the juvenile centers include the following; Remand Home at Kingtom house fifty-five boys and two girls, Approved School, Wellington, twenty-three boys and two girls and the Bo Remand Home is housing fourty-one boys.

The socioeconomic impact of excessive pretrial detention is profound, affecting not just the individuals detained, but their families, communities, and even the State.

The deplorable conditions need to be addressed for effective reform of the sector to occur. Working to addressing the issue of improving conditions of confinement, is to ensure youths who require detention treated safely, legally, and humanely. The aim of building confidence in the justice sector is an essential requirement of economic investment and growth, and hence for reviving opportunities for economic progress for Sierra Leoneans generally.

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Theo Edwards

Theo Edwards has over twenty years of diverse Information Technology experience. He spent his days playing with all things IBMi, portal, mobile application, and enterprise business functional and architectural design.

Before joining IBM as Staff Software Engineer, Theo worked as a programmer analyst and application specialist for businesses hosting eCommerce suite on IBMi platform. He has been privileged to co-author numerous publications such as Technical Handbooks, White paper, Tutorials, Users Guides, and FAQs. Refer to manuals here. Theo also holds a degree in Computer Science, Business Administration and various certifications in information security and technologies. He considers himself a technophile since his engagement at Cable & Wireless then later known SLET.