The Justice for All program will from October this year be decentralized for judges in the regions to handle cases of remand prisoners.
The Chairman of the program, Justice Clemence Hoenyenugah said this when they visited the Koforidua Central Prison to deal with cases of some remand prisoners.
Justice Hoenyenugah said the process will soon be finalised for it to commence. He said the move will help speed up the justice delivery system.
The ‘Justice for All Program’ is usually handled by two judges and a court set up in the prisons for the cases to be heard.
At the Koforidua Central Prison seventeen inmates on remand were discharged.
The inmates, most of whom have been on remand for a long period of time gained their freedom after their applications were heard.
Briefing the media after the court sitting, Justice Honyenuga, said it is a record for 17 inmates to be discharged.
He said the seventeen inmates discharged will increase after the decentralisation of the program.
Justice Honyenuga commended government for taking over the funding of the Justice for All program since the last financial year to this year.
He said in the 11 year history of the program, they had to go cup in hand begging foreign donors for funding, saying it is a bit of relief as government has taken over the funding of the project.
The Deputy Director of Prisons Koforidua, Benedict Bob Dery said they are excited that some inmates who have been in custody for a very long time have been freed, saying this will help decongest the prison in a way.
He said most inmates have been on remand for as long as six years with them not even getting the chance to appear in court for their cases to be heard.
He said the authorized capacity for the Koforidua prisons was 400, but currently have 738 inmates leading to over crowding, saying a program like this will help in reducing the pressure and tension in the yard.
Out of the total 55 applications that were considered, 17 were discharged, two were convicted and imprisoned, 21 were granted bail, 10 application for bail were refused and five were struck out.
Story filed by Naomi Komeh