Recent Performance Audit Report on the Welfare of Inmates by the Sierra Leone Correctional Service has branded the welfare of inmates in all prisons across as abysmal.

According to the Report, Rule 17 of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rule for the treatment of prisoners, states that, “Every prisoner who is not allowed to wear his/her own clothing shall be provided with an outfit of clothing suitable for the climate, and adequate to keep him/her in good health”.

During the audit process, a team of auditors observed that inmates were in tattered and torn uniforms, a manner that the Report noted was so humiliating.

Interviews with inmates revealed that they had not been supplied with uniforms for close to five years.

The situation is so humiliating to a point that previous uniforms used by inmates are currently being used by the present inmates.

According to the Report, the Sierra Leone Correctional Service is not only in violation of the above stated Rule 17, but also Rule 19 of United Nations Standard Minimum Rule for the treatment of prisoners.

“Every prisoner shall be provided with adequate bed and sufficient beddings”.   Interviews with inmates disclosed that they were only supply when general supplies are made from stores, noting that new inmates were not guaranteed the supply of beddings as there was no policy for the provision of beddings for new inmates, as a result, they have no option but to make do with what was available in the cells.

Interviews and physical inceptions of all male correctional facilities across the country confirmed that toilet facilities were inadequate for the number of inmates, which the report regarded as blatant violation of Rule 15, United Nations Minimum Standard Rule for the Treatment of Prisoners.

“The Sanitary Installations shall be adequate to enable every prisoner to comply with the needs of nature when necessary.”

Review of supply ledgers in Freetown and the provinces showed that two bars of soap and a tube of toothpaste were provided for inmates at least once in every month in a cell.

Interviews with the Officer-In-Charge (OC), disclosed to the team of auditors that underwear, towel, footwear, toothbrushes are supplied to inmates as and when supplies are received from headquarters.

The report further disclosed that the Sierra Leone’s Correctional Service in the provinces however challenged with water supply as boreholes dried up during the dry season.

This, the report said led to inmates fetching water outside the premises of the prison.

Ironically, the Makeni Female Correctional Centre did not have any source of water within the Centre and therefore, source water outside the premises of the prison, thereby contravention of Rule 20 (2), United Nations Minimum Standard Rule that provides “Drinking water shall be available to every prisoner whenever he needs it”.

From the Report, the life expectancy of inmates in correctional centers across the country has the potential to depreciate at a very high speed during their tenure in prisons.

This is so because monosodium crystal, commonly known as ‘white maggi’, was an ingredient of the sauces, even though it is known to have links with health hazards (Pedial Edema).

The Sierra Leone Prison Service, (as it was formally called), now the Sierra Leone Correctional Services (SLCS) was established in 1914 as an adjunct of the criminal justice system of Sierra Leone, with the Pademba Road Prison as the only prison facility. Currently, there are 19 correctional centers countrywide.

The SLCS exists as part of an integrated justice system to protect society by keeping inmates in secures and humane conditions, while encouraging and actively assisting them in their rehabilitation and reintegration of both remanded and convicted persons.

The welfare of inmates is the provision of essential service to inmates for their improved well-being to live in humane conditions, whilst encouraging and actively assisting them in their rehabilitation and reintegration by a professional workforce that is expected to contribute to the reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of both remanded and convicted persons.

More on the report.