GREENVILLE, July 2 (LINA) – Two of five inmates of the Palace of Correction and Rehabilitation in Greenville, Sinoe County, who broke jail on Sunday, June 30, have been rearrested, while the other three are still on the run.
While they were making their way out of the prison, the five pre-trial detainees attacked and severely injured three Correction Officers who were on duty.
Two of the three officers broke their teeth, during the scuffle with the inmates.
The unfortunate situation, according to Prison Superintendent Ruphus G. Chea, happened at about 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, during regular roll-call transferring inmates from the general daily cell back to the inner cell.
Chea said three of the inmates identified as Webster Wea, Anthony Davies and Friday Gmakan, who are charged with burglary and theft of property, are on the run, while Ezekiel Doe and Amos Yomah, who were charged with murder and theft of property, were re-arrested by police.
Meanwhile, Sinoe County Attorney, Cllr. J. Adolphus Karnuah, has outlined challenges facing the Greenville Palace of Correction and Rehabilitation.
Karnuah cited the huge number of pre-trial detainees from the 33 Magisterial Courts in the county who are kept in the same prison compound; lack of sufficient manpower and equipment, as well as the current low capacity of the prison, as major factors affecting the daily operation of the prison.
In an interview with the Liberia News Agency (LINA), Cllr. Karnuah called on the Justice Ministry and central government to provide an allotment in the budget to boost the operations of prison facilities across the country.
He stressed the need to construct a new prison facility in Sinoe County, noting that the current facility is overcrowded, causing serious problems.
Karnuah said the Palace of Correction and Rehabilitation currently hosts 47 inmates, instead of the 25, which is the capacity of the Greenville prison.
He noted that majority of the inmates are pre-trial detainees awaiting court trial.
About six months ago in December 2018, over 21 pre-trial detainees escaped from the Greenville Palace of Correction and Rehabilitation when the inmates went out to fetch firewood. Only three of the escapees were rearrested.
In a related development, several citizens of Sinoe County want inmates who were sentenced to life imprisonment to be transferred to the regional prison compound in Grand Gedeh County.
This, according to them, will help reduce the number of prisoners at the Correction center and as well create space for incoming inmates.
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