350 Bomana detainees to request hearing of 10-year cases

A GROUP of detainees at Bomana Prison is demanding that their cases be dealt with promptly because some have been waiting for up to 10 years.
The 350 detainees plan to send a petition to the chief justice and the government to look into their plight.
Jack Frost, speaking on behalf of the detainees, says many of them had been remanded in custody for long periods awaiting their court appearances.
He points out that their constitutional and human rights had been violated.
The petition will be handed to the chief justice on Friday. It is copied to the minister for justice and attorney-general, secretary in the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, speaker of parliament, chief magistrate, CIS commissioner, police commissioner and the UN resident representative.
The petition states: “We the detainees and remandees awaiting court appearances petition the Chief Justice, the government and the justice system to be fair, equitable and expeditious in disposing of all criminal proceedings before the national and supreme courts as well as the committal court.”
The petition said the 350 detainees had been denied natural justice and basic rights by the justice system.
“Our rights, freedom and liberties as guaranteed under the Constitution have been unduly delayed, prolonged and unnecessarily denied.
“Many detainees have been in custody for more than four months as provided for under the Constitution.
“Many have been in custody for more than two years on average, some even 10 years.
“We have a right to egalitarian justice as do politicians and soldiers and should be seen to be treated the same.
“We must be afforded our human rights like the politicians and the soldier or the well-to-do bureaucrat.”
They want the authorities to fast-track the cases in courts.
They also call on the authorities to allow bail for all sick and disabled persons held in custody including those being held for more than a year.
They suggested that five additional judges be appointed to assist in clearing the cases.
“We perceive the justice system as being unfair, inequitable and unreasonable in exercising its discretion when dealing with cases for persons in custody.
“There seem to be two sets of laws being applied- one for the ordinary and one for the privileged.”