Arop Jonchol
By Emmanuel Garjiek
Wau Central Prison Wau Central Prison currently holds 1006 inmates ,the authorities announced the release of 31 prisoners, including 4 men and 27 women, on Wednesday. This was made possible after a local company, Lukluk, paid their fines.
The intervention followed a report by Radio Tamazuj, which highlighted the severe conditions at both Wau Central Prison and Wau Juvenile Prison, where female inmates faced shortages of food and clean drinking water.
Speaking to the media during the release, Major General Andrea Macherenga Marial, Director of Wau Central Prison, expressed gratitude to the company for its supportive initiative.
“These people always help convicts. These inmates were jailed because of amounts ranging from SSP 50,000 to 200,000. The company mobilized funds, and they came to release these people,” he said. “There were 4 women and 27 males released based on the order of the judge. This is a good gesture in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, which is supposed to be done in other states as well.”
General Macherenga commended the media for shedding light on the challenges faced by the prisoners and expressed gratitude to Lukluk Company for covering their fines, noting that the prison is overcrowded.
Additionally, John Lual, a representative of Lukluk Company, encouraged the released inmates to refrain from engaging in criminal activities in the future.
“We learned that the inmates are suffering, we heard about food shortages and overcrowding in the prison. So, we came to support and let us hope that these people walking out of the prison go and take care of themselves,” he said. “Let us hope that the people being released should go in peace without returning to prison. We will not help them again if they return to prison.”
