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Bentiu: UNMISS
Colonel Kon Pal Keat, Director of Bentiu Prison in Unity State, confirmed that the prison is overcrowded, with poor sanitary conditions, a lack of medical routines, and juvenile offenders being locked up with adult criminals, making the situation extremely difficult. He said, “Our detention facility is definitely in a bad way, with our inmates facing multiple serious challenges, including insufficient clothing and food rations. These realities made me reach out to UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) for possible support.”
A group from the Ghanaian military contingent serving with the peacekeeping mission in Bentiu promptly visited the prison at the request of the prison administration. They conducted a thorough cleaning operation of the facilities and provided much-needed medical services to over 200 people, including 13 inmates temporarily serving time.
According to Director Keat, mixing boys and girls with adult prisoners is a significant problem and cause for concern. “We urgently need a juvenile rehabilitation facility. Young offenders need a supportive environment focused on rehabilitation, not punishment. It cannot be right to keep a 12-year-old boy detained for alleged homicide together with grown men,” he sighed, adding that four of “his” youngsters are currently set to be transferred to reform schools in Wau or Juba.
As part of its mandate, the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan is involved in activities to build the capacity of every link in the country’s justice system, including prisons.
Alexander Lyyli Lugambo, a Corrections Officer serving with UNMISS, explained that improving the overall management of detention facilities is a priority for the mission, particularly when it comes to the treatment of young convicts.
Nathalie Mazur, a Rule of Law Officer with UNMISS, emphasized the importance of improving access to justice in Unity State. “We are collaborating with the relevant local authorities to implement mobile courts to swiftly address legal issues. The anticipated launch of a fourth mobile court (in Bentiu) in December is expected to help restore faith in the judicial system and clear the backlog of pending cases,” she said.
However, despite the much-appreciated support from Ghanaian peacekeepers, serious problems remain at Bentiu prison that need to be properly addressed. The most significant of these problems is perhaps the high risk of disease outbreaks, along with a lack of medical supplies and regular access to medical care.
