21 remand convicts at Tamale Central Prison have been granted bail under the Justice for All Programme (JFAP), as part of a renewed attempt to decongest jails and increase justice access.
The ruling came after a special court session at the penitentiary, during which 37 applications were considered.
In addition to the 21 detainees granted bail, two were released unconditionally, four changed their pleas and were subsequently convicted, and three applications were dismissed.
Three convicts were assigned to mental treatment, while four bail applications were denied for a variety of reasons.
Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah of the Court of Appeal told the reporters during the hearing in Tamale on Monday that the initiative was boosting public trust in the legal system in addition to easing jail overcrowding.
According to data provided by the Ghana Prisons Service, there are now 13,620 inmates. Of that total, 1,745 are remand inmates, accounting for 12.81 percent, and 11,875 are convicts, or 87.19 percent.
According to Justice Mensah-Homiah, the Justice for All Programme has significantly reduced the percentage of remand inmates from 30.57% to 12.81% since its launch in 2007.
She was optimistic about the future of the nation’s jail system in light of these figures.
She continued by saying that the program gave remand inmates, especially those who had been detained without charge or trial for extended periods of time, a crucial forum for their cases to be evaluated and decided quickly.
According to her, the proposal was a part of efforts to guarantee prompt trials and the defence of accused people’s constitutional rights.
The Ghana Prisons Service, the Judicial Service, and other players in the justice sector work together on the Justice for All Program.
It aims to improve fairness in the criminal justice system and deal with case adjudication delays.
The Tamale Central Prison sitting was a component of the program’s recurring evaluations to make sure remand offenders aren’t being held unnecessarily.
According to authorities, the initiative’s ongoing execution is essential to maintaining the progress achieved in lowering the detention population and improving access to justice.
Source: newsthemegh.com