AWEIL, August 3, 2024 – Officials revealed Friday that Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State’s Aweil Central Prison is severely overcrowded, forcing inmates to sleep while seated or in shifts. The announcement came after a visit by Governor Simon Uber Mawut to the facility.
The prison, designed to hold only 150 inmates, currently houses over 800 individuals, including children and women, according to Director Philip Tong. “We have some challenges facing us, and the major one is overcrowding,” Tong said to Radio Tamazuj. “The prison was built to accommodate only 150 inmates but now hosts 800. The inmates are forced to sleep seated or in shifts, and we lack power.” The facility includes over 40 juveniles.
Tong emphasized the need to expand the prison’s capacity to improve living standards and manage the increasing inmate population.
State Minister of Health Dr. Riing Diing Lual Dau noted that overcrowding has led to outbreaks of water-related and skin diseases within the prison. “The most common diseases here are due to congestion and water problems. Fortunately, we have trained health personnel in the prison, and there is a section for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS patients,” Diing said.
State Minister for Information and Communication Garang Zachariah acknowledged the State Government’s awareness of the issues and the inmates’ complaints. He pointed out that many inmates are detained for minor offenses that could be resolved more quickly in court, and he lamented the lack of sufficient food and mosquito nets.
Governor Mawut has promised to address the challenges presented by the inmates.
