9 Inmates Granted Executive Clemency
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has granted executive clemency to nine inmates across the country. Making the disclosure on Tuesday at the Ministry of Information n Monrovia, Justice Minister Federick Cherue said the president’s decision was against the backdrop of extensive investigation which showed that the inmates at the various prison compound had less crimes.
Cllr. Cherue said on the basis of the ministry’s recommendation to the president, she decided to grant such clemency, with the elimination of many charges ranging from theft of property to aggravated assault. According to him, when people are accused of committing crimes and forwarded to court and found guilty, the punishments are to put them behind bars – not meaning that such inmates should die in prison. He said inmates are in prison for correction of their wrong-doing, saying “we have no interest in keeping people in prison to their death,” the Minister noted, adding that while they are in prison,
they go through the process of rehabilitation. Cllr. Cherue said those released from detention underwent rehabilitation as evidenced by their records provided by heads of the various prisons.
They include Junior Jalloh of Gbarpolu County, Cooper Tuboi of Lofa County, Abraham Sayon of Bong County, as well as Adu Kadi of Bong County. Others are Mike Sackor of Sinoe County, J. Sor of Sinoe
County, John S. Targbeh of Grand Gedeh County, Robertson Doe of Sinoe
county and Mamie Jawee of Montserrado County. Commenting on the recent
incident that took place in Lofa County leading to a jail breaking,
the Justice Minister said the prisoners have been rearrested by the
Liberia National Police.
Among prison compounds visited in Margibi, he noted, inmates are all
youth between the ages of twenty and thirty.
He pointed out that after interacting with the prisoners, President
Sirleaf affirmed the Justice Ministry’s recommendation to release
those who were serving their sentences for minor offenses committed in
their counties, adding that granting clemency did not mean returning
to the streets to engage in criminal activities.
