Authorities in Torit Prison are appealing to the state government to establish a vocational training center at the prison to rehabilitate prisoners so that they can be able to integrate well into society after serving their terms.

According to the director of Torit Prison, Major General Khamis Alhaj Bale, the prison is home to more than 200 inmates and 16 juveniles. He said a vocational center would provide the inmates with life skills.                       

 “We are supposed to have here in prison vocational training centers for inmates so that they are trained mechanic, carpentry, building and many others but unfortunately this is not opened,” he said.

He added that the prison has not been able to establish the centers due to lack of funds.

Alhaj noted that some of the juveniles have been convicted to serve jail terms while the others still await trial.

“Now we have 16, they were more than that but some have been released after finishing their term. Out of 16, 8 remain in remand and eight have already been tried,” he said.

The prison official revealed that the juveniles are all convicted of theft, rape and illegal marriages.