The Sierra Leone Maximum Correctional Centres in Freetown are presently occupied by two thousand, one hundred and forty one inmates.
The Chief Superintendent of the Correctional Facility, Foday Ishmael Kamara made the disclosure last before Justice Ansumana Ivan Sesay at the close of the November High Court Criminal Session.
The above figures are the total numbers in the male and female reintegration facility centers at Pademba Road and the Special Court at Jomo Kenyatta Road in Freetown.
According to Chief Superintendent Foday Ishmael Kamara, the Male Correctional facility at Pademba Road has one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight inmates and with three hundred and twenty four cells, while the Female Correctional facility at the Special Court has one hundred and eighteen inmates with eighteen holding cells.
At the reintegration facility, they have one hundred and eighty five inmates with one hundred and twenty cells.
Mr. Foday went on to highlight challenges at the Centres, which include; the use of buckets by inmates to excrete and poor medical facilities.
He commended the 24 hours electricity supply at the Correctional Facilities, and with standby generators.
In terms of food, Mr. Foday Ismael Kamara said breakfast is served with double ration for lunch and dinner; with varieties of food prepared for inmates.
He confirmed the support from various contractors that supply them with cartoons of fish and meat.
He stated that the Correctional Centre has only one Medical Doctor for the 2,141 inmates and with sixty (60) registered nurses.
The Doctor-in-charge, Mr. Kamara said, is not a specialist and if they have specialist cases, they refer them to bigger hospitals.
He made reference to the medical status of Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray, who (Kamara) he said is suffering from chronic prostate cancer.
The medical facility at the Correctional Centre has thirteen beds. Mr. Foday Ismael Kamara furthered that at the Correctional Center, they have one recreational facility like football and training centers like Carpentry workshop, Welding shop, Shoe making and Tailoring workshop and Bakery.
There is also a church and a mosque where inmates usually go to perform prayers. He recommended the need for modern Correctional facilities.
Chief Superintendent Foday Ismael Kamara is a witness at a criminal trial before the Court.
During cross examination by Defense Counsel, Cecilia Tucker from the Legal Aid Board, the witness said there were recommendations at the last closing criminal session by Justice Halloway for the elimination of the bucket system and decongestion of the prison.
In late 2022, Kamara said, they visited Songo to identify a piece of land for the construction of additional Correctional centres.
In December, 2022, it was decided to relocate the Correctional Center to Masiaka and the land has also been surveyed for its construction.
Justice Ansumana Ivan Sesay has ordered for the recommendations to be implemented, and urged the Ministry of Finance and Internal Affairs to fast track the proposed Masiaka facility project.
