The authorities at Wau Central Prison said they released 31 prisoners, 4 men and 27 women, on Wednesday after a local company called Lukluk paid off their fines.
The intervention came after Radio Tamazuj reported the dire situation of inmates at both Wau Central Prison and Wau Juvenile Prison, where convicted women lack food and clean drinking water.
While addressing the media during the release of the prisoners, Wau Central Prison Director Major General Andrea Macherenga Marial welcomed the initiative by the company.
“These people always help convicts. These inmates were jailed because of amounts ranging from SSP 50,000 to 200,000. The company mobilized funds, and they came to release these people,” he said. “There were 4 women and 27 males released based on the order of the judge. This is a good gesture in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, which is supposed to be done in other states as well.”
Gen. Macherenga lauded the media for putting out information about the plight of the prisoners and thanked Lukluk Company for paying off the fines of the prisoners, saying the prison is over crowned.
Meanwhile, the Lukluk Company representative, John Lual, urged the former inmates to desist from committing crimes.
“We learned that the inmates are suffering, we heard about food shortages and overcrowding in the prison. So, we came to support and let us hope that these people walking out of the prison go and take care of themselves,” he said. “Let us hope that the people being released should go in peace without returning to prison. We will not help them again if they return to prison.”
Wau Central Prison currently holds 1006 inmates.