South Sudan National Police Services (SSNPS) in collaboration with the United Nations Police (UNPOL) yesterday, Tuesday, carried out a one-day general cleaning exercise of the Torit Central Police Station to the relief of inmates there.
The cleaning came after the UNPOL conducted several visits and realized that the suspects held at the police station lived in unhygienic conditions.
The facility had a perpetual bad stench because of lack of toilets which resulted in the inmates using buckets and basins to defecate and urinate. The human waste is then taken and discarded in the mornings.
“We realized that the detainees are living in cells which are not safe for human beings to sit or to stay in. So we decided to make ourselves as UNPOL field office of Torit, organized in liaison with the force protecting UNMISS in Torit to give us support. We decided to buy detergents, brooms, and everything, and also bring water which was provided by the Rwandan battalion. So we decided to come and clean the cells such that detainees can stay in a safe and good environment with good hygiene," UNPOL’s Lt. Julius Muzigiti from Uganda said.
Lt Muzigiti calls on the UN and other humanitarian organizations to assist in constructing a toilet or pit latrine to safeguard the health of detainees at Torit central police station.
“This general cleaning will help our inmates and police within the station because it is good for human beings to be in a good environment that is why even we came up with the idea. It is not the first time we do this exercise, we normally do it but not to the extent of today. It is good because we have a good number of suspects inside and it is good for them to be in a conducive environment,” Lt. Atanga David Ogeno, a crime officer in Torit municipal central division said.
He added that the station is not able to maintain hygiene due to a shortage of water and cleaning equipment including soap at the police station.
Torit central division has four cells apportioned for military, male adults, females, and juveniles but is currently holding 14 suspects awaiting trial over different crimes including murder, theft, and rape among others.
The police are supposed to hold detained suspects for only twenty-four hours but the crime officer said the majority of cases delay in custody due to prolonged investigations resulting from some complainants not coming back to follow up cases.