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Momodou
Denmark
11516 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Nov 2013 : 20:48:00
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THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR SHOULD PAY ROUTINE VISITS TO POLICE STATIONS
Foroyaa Editorial: Published on Wednesday, 20 November 2013
HOW MANY ARE IN DETENTION FOR MORE THAN 72 HOURS WITHOUT BAIL OR COURT APPEARANCE?The absence of strong human rights NGOs and a Human Rights Commission has made it impossible to monitor how many people are just dumped in cells and left there without charge or court appearance. A tailor who was arrested since Sunday 17 November in connection with the case of Bai Mass Kah is currently under detention. He will be under detention for 72 hours by today. Will he be granted bail? Since Bai Mass is still in detention, even though the 72 hours have transpired, what about another person who has no one to follow his case?
A system needs self monitoring in order to be functional. Hence the Minister of the Interior should intervene to give strict warning to the officers to abide by the dictates of the Constitution. To detain people without having enough evidence to prosecute them is to increase the expenses of the state while depriving families of their bread winners. This is against development.
We call on families of those people who are in detention for more than 72 hours without being released on bail or taken to court to write petitions to Foroyaa for onward transmission to the minister via this paper so that we could fill the vacuum left by human rights monitors. Once a society lacks checks and balances, impunity must become the order of the day.
To keep a person in a cell for more than 72 hours without sufficient evidence to charge him constitutes inhuman and degrading treatment. Section 21 of the constitution stipulates: “No person shall be subject to torture or inhuman degrading punishment or other treatment.”
Source: Foroyaa
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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