Lies on Pademba Prison Saga!
Findings by Sierra Express Media on the recent prison riot that took place at the Pademba Road Maximum Prison in Freetown indicate that most media houses that gave coverage to the event reported with bias on the matter, castigating the Prison Director for the incident alleging that he unwittingly ordered recruit Prison Officers with little or no experience to conduct the usual routine search of Prison blocks and cells of inmate which is normal.
Findings have revealed that the riot resulted from a routine search, but it was never because of the involvement of inexperienced officers, who according our findings have nothing to do with the running of the affairs of the prisons.
Sierra Express Media was also able to understand that the search was never even warranted by the Director but that it’s a tradition that for security of the officers and fellow inmates a regular search of cells is carried out unannounced. Officers at the Pademba Road Prison reveal that the action of the prisoners who most of the times are not in their cell blocks, but are engaged in doing chores around the prison precinct; was unanimous for reason that are not clear yet. Also, officers prior to the war in Sierra Leone used to guard the perimeter of the maximum prison equipped with guns and other security gear but since the end of the war, such facilities have been cut out, making the officers ill-equipped and vulnerable in such riotous situation.Â
Responding to the allegation that officers were on a mission to confiscate provisions and other toiletries supplied to the prisoners, officers say “it is unfounded as this is not the time prisoners are supplied with the said items, how can officers harass them for things they do not give to them” they opined. Â
They however attested to the fact that the central maximum prison has accorded accommodation to more inmates than it was originally built for and that in such abrasive situations, anything can happen. Sierra Express Media has also found out that the cause of the overcrowding of the prison is due to the fact that court cases are most times not processed in time and that over the years, the Prison facility has got to accommodate far more that its capacity.
A chat with officers at the headquarters of the Sierra Leone Prison Service however reveals that management of the department is currently conducting high profile investigations as to the cause of the spurious riot.    Â
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