Prisoners in South Sudan Torit State Prison complain of shortage of food and water exposing them to harsh living conditions.

17 year-old inmate, Margret Ichaa told Radio Tamazuj that they lack food and clean water while calling on the state government to offer support to the prisoners.

“Our problems are very many, there is no water, food is not there, somebody cannot stay from morning up to evening without food I want the government to provide what we are lacking,” Ichaa said.

According to the state prison director, Major Gen. Khamis Alhaj Bale, the facility holds over 200 inmates who are in dire need of the basic needs.

“Our administrative issue is the problem of water; sometimes the water will cut due to lack of fuel which sometimes forces us to send prisoners to collect water directly from the river. We are also faced with lack of transportation of inmates to hospitals from time to time,” Khamis noted.

He attributed the shortage of food to delayed payment of food contractors.