By Adama Makasuba

The Gambia Prison Service has dressed down officials of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) about their conducts during recent visits to Janjanbureh Prison and Jeshwang Juvenile Prison.

The Prison Service spokesman, Lamin Ceesay, at a press conference held at its headquarters in Banjul, described the conducts of TRRC officials during their visits as “unethical and uncalled for.”

The TRRC officials recently visited Janjanbureh Prison and Jeshwang Juvenile Prison as part of their investigations into alleged human rights violations between July 22, 1994 and January 2017.

PRO Ceesay said the commissioners meeting with juvenile prisoners at Janjabureh Prison was not in line with the best practices of the children’s code of conduct.  

He said some of the complaints by the inmates in the remand wing that they missed their court appearances had nothing to do with the prison service but rather the police escorts not turning up due to lack of transportation.

The prison PRO said the pardoning of prisoners was not part of the TRRC remit and that the prisoners who were asking the TRRC officials for pardoning knew nothing about the established protocol.

“Inmates cannot just jump up to request for pardon simply because they said pardon according to Section 82 of the 1997 Constitution. These sections in the Constitution are powers vested on the head of state to pardon inmates and there must be a consultation with the prison committee,” he said.

Ceesay said the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy Committee include the Ministry of Justice and the Prison Service Council adding that to be considered for pardon “a prison inmate should serve a maximum of 15 years before qualifying to be granted presidential pardon.

“Inmates of previous crime pardon would not be recommended for presidential pardon, simply because they have betrayed the trust and confidence bestowed on them (by the prison authority).”