Prison inmates on death row appeal

Nsawam, July 03, GNA - Prisoners who are on death row at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison have appealed to the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Judiciary to consider a review of trial by jury for high felony cases.

Rather, they want to have three high court judges to preside over such cases to bring about an objective and legal analyses of the cases that they claimed many jurors lacked.

They also alleged that many jurors are corrupt and that wealth often influences the verdict jurors reach.

Making their appeal to the committee members in their condemned cells on Saturday when members of the committee visited the prison, the inmates requested for state support especially in the area of legal representation at the appellate courts.

They said it was wrong for the public to assume that every prisoner was guilty of his offence and that not only are the courts not foolproof but there are also many instances where the courts erred in their judgments.

An inmate, Kobina Nsiah who has served more than 10 years, said Ghana was unnecessarily sending many able-bodied men to the gallows on false charges.

Nsiah admitted his offences but attested to the innocence of some of inmates who he said now find themselves in their situation because of no legal representation.

Zakaria Yakubu, who has been on the row for the past nine years, pleaded with the parliamentarians to help steer the nation away from retribution to the path of reformation and reconciliation. He wants the MPs to consider abolishing the death penalty in favour of other forms of punishments.

Douglas Atia, who has been waiting his final call for the past nine years, said many of the 91 prisoners on the death row have mental problems.

He said while there is evidence that some were clearly sick at the time they committed their offences, others became mad through the cause of the laborious process of sentencing. Atia said it should be the responsibility of the state to evaluate these patients and if possible send them to psychiatry facilities.

The Member of Parliament for Kumawu and the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Yaw Baah, said it was the responsibility of the state to address the human right needs of all its citizens including those on death roll.

He said the committee would critically consider their requests and factor them into any Prison reforms that they might recommend. 03 July 07