At least 1,553 remand prisoners are languishing at the Juba National Prison uncertain about when they will stand trial or be released from jail.
Data obtained by Radio Tamazuj from the prison shows that the 1,553 inmates have been on remand for years.
Additional data from the prison also shows that there are 668 convicts, 218 condemned inmates, and 30 lunatics.
Collectively, the facility is currently housing 2,798 inmates, including men, women, and juveniles though it was built to accommodate a maximum of between 300 and 500 prisoners.
The inmates include 10 male foreigners and 4 females with 8 children accompanying their mothers.
Speaking during a short visit by Interior Minister Angelina Teny on Thursday, Maj. Gen. Redento Tongun, the Director General of Juba National Prison, said many of the inmates have been held without trial for years, under dire conditions.
“The Prison is dilapidated,” he stated. “The Overcrowding in the prison arises out of sentencing policies that consider imprisonment as the first option instead of last resort and a large number persons are on remand (pre-trail) and their cases have not been heard over for a very long period.”
The prison director said they are not sure when hearing of the cases will commence in the high court and added that the inmates include those facing capital offenses such as murder, robbery, defilement, rape, and others.
He said the prison lacks water and food due to non-payment of contractors, adding that they also lack adequate medicines for the treatment of prisoners.
For her part, Minister Teny vowed to work with prison authorities to ensure that cases awaiting trial are expeditiously handled.
She told the inmates that they were in prison to reform and should leave as upright citizens.
“Our goal is that every citizen in this country should respect the law. You should leave here as people who do not have any problem and you will serve and develop the country like any other person, God willing,” Teny said. “We understand your suffering and dire conditions and know that there are those who have been on remand for a long time awaiting the hearing of their cases. We will work to ensure that their cases are brought before the courts.”