Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah, a Court of Appeal judge and Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Justice for All Programme has called for an inquiry to determine why an inmate, previously discharged by a Circuit Court in Nkawie, remained incarcerated for an additional five months.
Justice Mensah-Homiah has also encouraged investigators to exercise diligence to prevent prolonged detention of vulnerable inmates. According to data from the Ghana Prison Service, the prison overcrowding rate decreased from 51% in December 2018 to 42.69% in May 2024.
The reduction is credited to the success of the Justice for All Programme, an initiative aimed at ensuring fair representation for vulnerable inmates and decongesting the nation’s prisons.
During the Justice for All Programme’s in-prison court session on Monday, July 22, 2024, 31 cases were heard by two courts, presided over by Justice Hannah Tailor and Justice Frederick Tetteh.
Of the 31 cases, 3 individuals were unconditionally discharged, 13 were granted bail, bail applications were denied in 13 cases, and 2 were dismissed. It was disclosed during the session that an inmate, who had been discharged by a circuit court in Nkawie in February 2024, was still in detention. Justice Mensah-Homiah expressed her dismay at this revelation.
She urged the responsible authorities to refrain from such practices and ensure that no one else falls victim to this situation. Speaking after the event, Justice Mensah-Homiah warned the Ghana Prison Service and investigators against unnecessary detainment of inmates.
Justice Mensah-Homiah took the opportunity to reassure stakeholders of their commitment to expeditious trials. In response, the Acting Officer in Charge of the Ashanti Region Prison Command, CSP Alex Adjei, defended the prison service, explaining that they only admit inmates based on a warrant.
