3 November 2009
LUSAKA High Court Judge Florence Lengalenga has asked the Lusaka Central Prison officer-in-charge to liaise with the Ministry of Home Affairs and facilitate the quick deportation of prohibited immigrants.
The judge also asked the prisons authority to ensure that the 50 juveniles currently in prisons were taken to reformatory schools where they were supposed to be kept.
Ms Justice Lengalenga said this yesterday when Lusaka Central Prison officer-in-charge John Sikababa presented his gaol delivery during High Court sessions for the month of November.
Mr Sikababa said Lusaka Central Prison was keeping 233 prohibited immigrants and that the number had risen due to a recent round up by the immigration department.
He said there were 50 juveniles including two females and that 24 were lodging at Lusaka Remand Prison of which three were confirmed to be transferred to Katombora Reformatory School while 21 were waiting for confirmation.
"Why is the number of prohibited immigrants increasing? I thought they are supposed to be deported to their respective countries once investigated and found wanting. Let the prisons authority and the Ministry of Home Affairs liaise so that they are deported.
"As for the juveniles, why are you still keeping them at the prisons? Are they not supposed to be taken to reformatory schools? The prison authority should ensure that it provides transport and takes them where they are supposed to be," she said.
Mr Sikababa told the judge that Lusaka Central Prison was currently keeping 1,249 prisoners, Lusaka Remand Prison 511, Mwembeshi Open Air Prison 382, bringing the total of prisoners remanded in Lusaka to 2,0142.
He said 773 were convicted male prisoners, 950 were unconvincted.
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