Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MONROVIA1321
2007-11-06 15:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Monrovia
Cable title:  

LIBERIA: MOJ PLANS TO REDUCE PRISON POPULATION

Tags:  PGOV PINR KJUS PREL PHUM LI 
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VZCZCXRO9236
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHMV #1321 3101524
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061524Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9469
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS MONROVIA 001321 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W-PDAVIS, INR/AA-BGRAVES

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR KJUS PREL PHUM LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: MOJ PLANS TO REDUCE PRISON POPULATION

REF: Monrovia 1285

UNCLAS MONROVIA 001321

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W-PDAVIS, INR/AA-BGRAVES

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR KJUS PREL PHUM LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: MOJ PLANS TO REDUCE PRISON POPULATION

REF: Monrovia 1285


1. SUMMARY: After the mass prison break in 2006 and the riot at
Monrovia Central Prison (MCP) on October 20 (reftel) the Ministry of
Justice is taking a hard look at reducing the prison population to
improve security. This will be done through increasing resources,
having a well-trained staff and better screening of the prison
population. END SUMMARY.


2. In a meeting called by Minister of Justice Philip A.Z. Banks
October 31 to improve conditions at the MCP following the recent
riot, the Minister decided on a two-pronged plan to address the
issue of overcrowding and security. The GOL will address the
physical environment along with working with other stakeholders to
develop a case management system of the prisoners already in MCP.
The Minister said that the Ministry would put more resources into
the MCP. Gasoline to transport the guards would be increased so
that the prison could be fully staffed at all times. He will also
review the rightsizing and retraining plan that his predecessor
developed to improve the professionalism of the staff. Also
attending the meeting were Solicitor General Tiawan Gongole, UNMIL
Correction Advisory Unit head Marjo Calleghan, the MCP
Superintendent, Justice Sector Support for Liberia (JSSL)
representative John Dawson, JSSL member Shelia Weirth and PolOff.


3. Better management of the prison population will be addressed in
two ways. The JSSL team has started a pilot program using law
students to review the cases of prisoners at MCP. They began with
the murder cases and will work on armed robbery, rape and aggravated
assault in order. Minister Banks will assign a high level MOJ
employee to work with the group. He will also direct the Liberian
National Police to allow the group to see their case files. The
group will present their findings to Minister Banks and recommend
which prisoners should be released or scheduled for prosecution.
The second way is for better screening of the prisoners before they
enter the prison. This is to ensure that the prisoners are there
with a jailable offense, that they have been charged and that the
justice system knows where they are.


4. The current prison population at Monrovia Central Prison is now
at 800 inmates. The prison was built to hold 200. According to
UNMIL Correction Advisory Unit head Marjo Calleghan, only 1.8% of
this population have been convicted of a crime, and are waiting to
be transported to the new prison in Zwedru. The rest of the
population are in pre-trial detention and are awaiting an initial
court date. Minister of Justice Banks said that during a visit
earlier this year there were 14 to 16 people in each cell on
average. The Government of Liberia only has the ability to feed 50%
of this population. NGOs, UN agencies and family members feed the
other 50%.


5. COMMENT: MCP is a severely overcrowded prison located in downtown
Monrovia (one mile from the U.S. Embassy) that has posed security
risks in the past with mass break-outs and riots. The MOJ is
looking to address this issue through improving staffing and better
management of the prison population. Case management will allow the
government to release prisoners on whom there is insufficient
evidence to convict as well as prisoners who have already served
more time in pre-trial detention than a guilty verdict could give
them. END COMMENT.

BOOTH