Kumasi, Aug 26, GNA - A Kumasi High Court on Tuesday began hearing cases of remand prisoners whose warrants had expired while on remand in the Kumasi Central Prisons.

It is part of an initiative to help to decongest the country's prisons spearheaded by the Justice Ministry, the Judicial Service, the Ghana Police and the Ghana Prisons services under a programme dubbed "Justice for All."

In all 52 cases had been listed to be heard by the court. The offences range from stealing, threat of death, possession of narcotic drugs to robbery.

Remand prisoners, accused of murder would, however, be required to submit application to the court before their cases could be heard. The only exception is those who have contracted contagious diseases. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Frank Amoah, the Supervising High Court Judge, on day one of the sitting, heard 18 cases but none of the remand prisoners was freed. Four of them Afua Kyekye, Patricia Yeboah, Kwaku Poku and Yaw Kyereme, who have been languishing in the prison because of their inability to find people to sign their bail bond but now claim their relatives are ready, were asked to contact their relatives through a social officer to secure their release.

Three others, Aduma Tigre, Baba Tahiru and Kwadwo Sarfo, charged with robbery were ordered by the Presiding Judge to be brought before the Kumasi High Court One on September 14. Another person, Anthony Antoo, accused of threat of death, who looked emaciated should be medically examined by the prison's medical staff.

The High Court subpoenaed the Konongo Magistrate Court, some police officers and court officials to appear before it on the second day of the sitting to clarify matters bothering on alleged missing of dockets and to furnish the court with relevant information to help in the determination of some cases. This is the third in the series of court sittings in the country's prisons. The earlier ones took place at James Town in Accra and the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons.