Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 28 June 2005

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CHRAJ Orders Closure Of Sunyani Cells

The Brong Ahafo regional office of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has asked the police to close the Sunyani municipal police station cells as a result of the insanitary condition prevailing there.

?If the situation remains the same for the next one week, it is recommended that the cells be closed down,? it emphasised. The recommendation followed an inspection of the cells by the commission led by the regional director, Mr Kwasi Boakye, on Wednesday.

It was discovered during the inspection that there was a heap of refuse at the corridor leading to the cells rooms with traces of human excreta and urine flowing from the main bathroom and toilet through the corridor.

There were 17 suspects and three cells, two for the males and one for the females in which some of the males were being kept as there were no female inmates. The water closet system have all broken down yet the suspects kept using them.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Leonard Abakah, acting municipal commander, who took the inspection team round the cells, gave the assurance that all efforts would be made to improve the sanitation situation at the place.