A prison officer has called on the Barrow administration to build more prisons as the country’s prisons are “full to capacity”.

ASP Jombo Jallow made the call at the ending of his testimony before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), saying “I am appealing to the government to come up with more prisons – yes, I know nobody is happy with prisons.

“When you come to the prisons, the remand is full, Jajabureh is full. And if you look at The Gambia today, we have only three prisons -and these prisons are: Mile Two, Jeswang, Janjabureh. 

“How many stations surround it and how many court houses surround it? From Kalalji to Kartong all bring people to Mile Two – and they come with warrant and you dare not to say the prison is full to capacity.”

He added: “Sometimes the prison goes to a 1000 or 900 inmates- the time this prison was built Gambia’s population was not up to the level it is today. There are all over stations and plethora of magistrates [courts] and there is no prisons.

“I am appealing to the government to come up with more prisons – yes, I know nobody is happy with prisons.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba