Liberia prisons: Inmates dey short of food, space and uniforms

Wen di food run out for inmates for Liberia main prison earlier dis month e expose di terrible conditions wey don dey exist for di kontri jail for long.

Di lack of supplies affect all of di kontri 15 prisons, e force dem to stop to tak any new inmates.

Na only afta at least two days wey local philanthropist and charity step in to make up for di shortfall, but di wider problems - overcrowding and lack of funding - never go away.

For Monrovia Central Prison, wey dey overlook di Atlantic Ocean, about 1,400 pipo dey jampacked inside space wey dem initially build for less than 400.

Dem don give outside of di prison new look and di shining light grey wall fit mislead passers-by to tink say tins equally dey good inside.

Di food crisis give one group of convicts, wey briefly meet journalists during one ceremony to open new visitors' hut, wey be opportunity for dem to show their frustration.

Now for im third year for prison, one man, wey dem convict of rape charges, hiss repeatedly as e explain di frustration over di lack of food.

"Di goment feed us one plate [of rice] every day; one time a day," im tok.

As im speak, over a dozen others nod, di anger and frustration show for dia faces.

Di man in charge of Monrovia Central Prison, Varney G Lake, admit say di overcrowding alone amount to "human rights violation".

Im also cry out about di poor infrastructure and di lack of well-maintained facilities for one interview with local newspaper, FrontPage Africa.

Wen di food shortage strike, Upjit Singh Sachdeva, wey be popular businessman wey dey live for Monrovia, wey don already dey provide some food from im resources, rush to di city prison wit emergency rations to calm di anxiety.

Better known as "Jeety", im tell BBC say im assistance "intend to help wit di inmates' transformation process".

Besides, im tok say im religious beliefs mean say "wen you get food, you share with odas".

Other interventions follow im latest gesture including one from advocacy group Prison Fellowship Liberia wey delivere rice and oil.

But in di long run, di authorities no fit continue to rely on charity to sustain di prison service.

'All our prisons dey out of date'

Di national director of prisons, Rev S Sainleseh Kwaidah, confirm say di lack of proper food for prisoners na one of di many challenges im dey face.

Im blame di shortfall on delays for di goment to release funds dem suppose supply monthly.

For example, di money wey suppose be for food for September we only receive am afta Christmas, im tell BBC.

As a result, prison superintendents bin dey "borrow money here and there" to feed inmates.

One of di problems, Rev Kwaidah tok, na say di only item for di national budget wey deal wit prisons dey labelled "prison subsistence".

"[Di] prison budget must include feeding, accommodation, medication, operation, maintenance, refurbishment for wear-and-tear.

"All di prisons we get for di kontri now dey out of date, dis include di Monrovia Central Prison; dem need repair am," im add, di emotion clearly dey audible for im voice.

Im also highlight di lack of medical facilities and proper uniforms for both di inmates and warders.

Di last batch of prisoner uniforms wey UN supply na more than 10 years ago.

And dia are no vehicles or fuel to escort prisoners.

"As I speak to you, we escort prisoners to many of our prisons on 'kek-keh' [tricycles]," im tok. Dem no get doors, so dem no dey ideal to transport convicts.

Di vehicles di UN leave for di completion of dia peacekeeping mission more than six years ago "don burn out and brake down".

Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean, wey dey responsible for di penal system, tell di BBC say di goment dey aware of di scale of di problems becos dem bin don highlight am for one official audit.

But im bin no get short-term fix.

"We trust say di legislature go allocate di required funds and resources to address dem," im tok.