Monrovia, Liberia – Representative Jacob Debee II of Grand Gedeh County’s District 3 has asked the House plenary to call Minister of Justice Cllr. J. Oswald Tweh to address the declining state of the Palace of Correction in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County.
Rep. Debee outlined in his letter the appalling conditions at the national penitentiary center, pointing out that extreme neglect has rendered it unfit for its original use. He mentioned that the rehabilitation center’s roof is missing, the facility’s gate is dilapidated, and two standby generators have been broken for years.
Debee also voiced worry about the dearth of facilities for skill training, the inadequate food provided to prisoners, and the inadequacy of sleeping spaces for the assigned PSU police officers. He added that the PSU officers’ operating cars are malfunctioning, which makes operations less efficient.
Debee cautioned that because jailbreaks are more likely when high-risk offenders are housed in such conditions, the county’s citizens are seriously at risk. Along with this, he stressed the importance of properly rehabilitating prisoners, as they have rights that must be upheld.
Atty. Michael Thomas, the representative for Montserrado County’s District 4, suggested that the Judiciary Committee look into the issue and report back to the plenary in three weeks after the reading of Debee’s communication on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, and the debate that followed.
Photo credit: House of Representative
