Community Sentencing to Reduce Prisons Overcrowding-AG
The Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, is confident that the implementation of the Community Sentencing Bill will significantly reduce jail overcrowding in Ghana.
The bill seeks to provide options for sentencing other than prison terms for various offences considered not to be too serious.
Speaking after a visit to the James Camp Prison in Accra, Mr. Dame pledged to lead the advocacy in improving conditions in the prisons.
“I consider the passage of an Alternative Sentencing Act an urgent necessity. In this regard, I recently reviewed a draft Community Sentencing Bill that I charged the director of legislative drafting in my office to come up with,” he said.
“The draft bill seeks to provide options for sentencing other than prison term for various offences considered not to be too serious. It is going through the process of stakeholder consultations and will soon be laid before Parliament upon conclusion of same. I am treating both pieces of legislation as part of my priority legislation this year.”
He went on to say that “Director-General, I promise also to lead the advocacy in improving conditions in our prisons. I have been very pleased to be here as it has given me sufficient insight into conditions existing in our prisons.”
Mr. Dame also stated that his ministry is working on amending the Criminal Procedure Act of 1960 (Act 30) to fully incorporate plea bargains into case trials.
The Attorney General was accompanied by his two deputies, Alfred Tuah – Yeboah and Diana Asonaba Dapaah, the solicitor-general Helen Akpene Awo Ziwu, the director of public prosecutions Yvonne Obuobisa, and chief state attorney, Dr. Sylvia Adusu.
Source: Opemsuo.com\ Emmanuel Owusu Anti
