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Momodou
Denmark
11703 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Sep 2010 : 18:03:06
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Foroyaa Editorial: PRISON CONDITIONS –WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE PRISON VISITING COMMITTEES?
By Publisher on 22-09-10
Some family members of people who are imprisoned have come to make inquires on whether a person could be so ill as to be unfit to be imprisoned. Others have asked what should happen if a prisoner dies in custody.
Rule 13 of the prison rules states that “The medical officer shall report to the Commissioner of Prisons and the Commissioner to the Minister, the reception of any prisoner in a condition unfit to undergo imprisonment.” This is the requirement of the law.
Secondly if a prisoner dies in prison, a coroner’s inquest should be carried out to establish the cause of death. In this way, no prisoner could be said to have died mysteriously.
In actual fact, Foroyaa has been trying to find out who the members of the Prison visiting Committees of the various prisons are so that they could be approached to find out how they are protecting the welfare of prisoners.
Section 22 of the Prisons Act states that “There shall be established a visiting committee for each prison consisting of such persons or the holders of such offices as the Minister may from time to time appoint”
They among others are supposed to monitor the welfare of prisoners. We will find out whether coroner’s inquests are taking place in dealing with the cases of dead prisoners and whether the prison visiting committees are active.
Source: Foroyaa Online
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2010 : 18:12:04
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"Section 22 of the Prisons Act states that “There shall be established a visiting committee for each prison consisting of such persons or the holders of such offices as the Minister may from time to time appoint”
The paper should not take more time searching for an answer the answer is in the laws of the Gambia,
"as the Minister may from time to time appoint” I would postulate that ...........None have been appointed ? will I be proved wrong again let's see !
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11703 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2010 : 18:52:55
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You may be right but last year "The minister told members that a visiting committee comprising a member from the Supreme Islamic Council, a Probation Officer from the Social Welfare, former prisons officer, a legislator and Director General of prisons are all part of the visiting team with the mandate to look into the welfare of prisoners’ day-to-day activities throughout their jail term."
See: http://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8111 |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2010 : 20:12:52
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Momodou, last year was last year,has the Gambia still go the same minister for the interior as then ? or has the ministers portfolio been moved to another ministry from last year to this,or is the portfolio now with H.E.? |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11703 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2010 : 20:16:56
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Why did I not think about that Toubab.  Anyway, it was the same minister (Mr. Ousman Sonko) but perhaps he was fired and re-cycled. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2010 : 20:53:26
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Nothing changes then , Recycling is the in thing  ,why has this bloke been so quiet ? OK, I know,he has his tin hat on and is keeping a low profile,wise man |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 22 Sep 2010 21:08:02 |
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Momodou
Denmark
11703 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2010 : 16:07:33
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Foroyaa Editorial : NO DEAD PERSON IN POLICE OR PRISON CUSTODY OR DETENTION SHOULD BE BURIED WITHOUT A CORONER’S INQUEST
By Publisher on 27-09-10
Foroyaa has been asked to indicate where it states in the Prison Act that a Coroner’s inquest should be done if a person dies in prison. The source of the law is the Coroner’s Act. The Law is very strict on establishing the cause of death if a person has been in police custody or was imprisoned.
Section 6 of the Coroner’s Act states that:
”When any person dies while in the custody of the police or of a prison officer or in prison or when detained in any place under the provisions of the Lunatic Detention Act or of the Criminal Procedure Code, the police officer or prison officer or other person having the custody or charge of the deceased person at the time of his death shall immediately give notice of the death to the nearest Coroner and ,….. such coroner shall hold an enquiry into the cause of such death…..”
One may now ask; who is the Coroner?
The law did not leave any ambiguity. Section 3 states that “A magistrate of the first class shall be the Coroner for the city of Banjul and the Kombo Saint Mary and in the provinces the Commissioner, now Governor and Assistant Commissioner, now Deputy Governor of a Division shall be a coroner for that division”
Of course, there is need to modernize provincial administration to free administrators of the executive from judicial responsibilities. What is abundantly clear is that when a person dies under detention or custody, the officer in charge should immediately give notice of the death to the nearest Coroner.
This is the law and family members of those who die in prison should raise the alarm once they are informed of the death of love ones so that an inquest could be done on the cause of death.
Source: Foroyaa Online |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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