Prison: G/Gedeh Correction Palace Lies in Ruin
Co. Lawmaker Writes Plenary
By Mark N. Mengonfia
MONROVIA-The Palace of Correction in Grand Gedeh County is said to be lying in ruins, Jacob Debee, II, Representative District three, Grand Gedeh county reported to plenary and requested the appearance of Minister of Justice, Cllr. J. Oswald Tweh
Rep. Debee, II said the physical condition of the national palace of correct location in District # 1, Grand Gedeh County is in a very bad state, thus not meeting the reasons for which it was constructed many years back.
“It is in a deplorable condition” he said.
According to him, the fence of the palace is broken, the rehabilitation center is unroofed, and the two standby generators have not been operational for years.
He furthered that, “No sufficient food for inmates, no skill training facilitates, the assigned [Police Support Unit] PSU Police officers do not have a place to sleep.”
The Grand Gedeh county lawmaker also said it has been observed that the operation vehicles used by the PSU police officers of the palace of correction are all broken down making it difficult to carry out effective operations and responsibilities as per their mandate.
He is worried that keeping high core convicted criminals in such prison is dangerous for citizens of the county as they can break jail anytime and harm citizens of the area.
The lawmaker is equally concerned about the wellbeing of the convicts, whom he said also have rights to be rehabilitated while undergoing corrections.
“In view of the above, I crave your indulgence to invite the Minister of Justice who is the Attorney General of the republic of Liberia before the House of Representatives alone with his deputies to explain to us why the Palace of Correction is in such an appalling condition, and to justify the usage of the budgetary allocation in the National Budget for Palace of Correction which seems abandoned by the government of Liberia” he pleaded with his colleagues.
A motion from Montserrado County District four Lawmaker, Michael Thomas sent the communication to the Judiciary Committee that is already investigating the conditions of prison facilities in Liberia and will report in three weeks.