Nsawam (E/R), March 27, GNA- Female inmates at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison on Thursday pleaded with government to introduce non-custodial sentencing for slight felonies. The custodial system made convicts of such offences worse off in prison, the inmates told Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Minister of Information and National Orientation when she paid a day's visit to the prison to learn about their plight.

They also appealed for legal aid to provide them an opportunity to defend them in court. The inmates also urged the Judiciary to be considerate to the aged since they often became a burden to other inmates and the Prison authorities.

Mrs Sai-Cofie gave those on remand the assurance that that the Attorney-General's Department had started a decongestion exercise to speed up trial and promised to get in touch with relevant authorities to address their problems. There were 113 female inmates comprising 73 convicts, 24 on remand, three on trial, six on life sentence and three on condemned list. The Minister donated soap, disinfectants, pads and baby products to the inmates.

Mrs. Sai-Cofie also visited the Rural Women Vocational Skills and Development Foundation (RWSDF). Mr Kwesi Johnson, Project Officer said the institution was founded by a group of women activists in 1992 and was training ladies in skills training.