Security to be tightened around prisons to curb jailbreaks

Directives were issued in Yaounde on December 16, 2014, at the end of the two-day annual conference of Regional Delegates of Penitentiary Administration.

In order to forestall the rising incidence of jailbreaks across the country, the Ministry of Justice has ordered the stepping up of security in and around prisons. The directives were issued in Yaounde on Tuesday, December 16, 2014, by the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice in charge of Penitentiary Administration, Doh Jerome Penbaga.

This followed the end of the two-day annual meeting of Regional Delegates of Penitentiary Administration, heads of Central Prisons and Directors of Prosecution of Appeal Courts.

Doh Jerome Penbaga instructed prison heads to ensure that guard schedules and shifts are properly overseen by them, especially at weekends, on public holidays and during “sensitive periods.” Similarly, discipline among prison staff is to be strengthened, while awareness campaigns will be regularly organised in all jails to debrief personnel on their rights and duties. On the other hand, environmental sanitation days will be set aside in all jails and their effectiveness ensured by Regional Delegates of Penitentiary Administration.

Concerning the involvement of inmates in labour activities outside jails, each prison is to set up a committee to judiciously screen those eligible for such outings.

Delegates are henceforth expected to submit quarterly reports to the ministry on cases of jail breaks. Meanwhile, jails with unprotected kitchens have been directed to get pro-forma invoices for the construction of perimeter walls around them.

Earlier in their resolutions, participants at the meeting recommended the recruitment of additional prison staff, revision of training modules, the organisation of regular refresher courses for prison heads and the raising of the level of the basic qualification for prison guards in order to forestall further incidents of jail breaks.

They also proposed the decongestion of jails, stiffer punishment for staff found guilty of aiding and abetting jailbreaks and better publicity of the names of inmates involved in jail breaks.