Inmates rampage in Nimba

All 133 inmates at the central prison in Sanniquellie, Nimba County have gone on the rampage, breaking prison facilities in demand of justice.

The NewDawn correspondent in Nimba said, the inmates complained of being in detention for more than three years without trial.

This paper gathered that the Sanniquellie prison compound has a total of 133 inmates, including 51 convicts and 82 detainees.

Speaking recently during the opening of the February term of the 8thJudicial Circus Court in Sanniquellie, prison superintendent, Torwon Gonqueh, among other things noted that the prison is congested, and stressed a need for the expeditious disposal of cases.

The action by the aggrieved prisoners is in demand for quick and fair trial, and justice rather than perpetual imprisonment.

Several human rights groups at the opening of the term of court described the prolonged detention without trial a violation of the rights of inmates.

But some judges, who spoke to The New Dawn, blamed the congestion of prison facility on lack of more circuit courts in the county. According to them, Nimba is the second largest county in Liberia with huge population but does not have access to circuit court.

By Franklin Doloquee, Nimba