Several inmates afftcted by ‘Be Serious’ (Scabies) at Sanniquellie Central Prison

About 200 inmates at the Sanniquellie Central Prison in Nimba County are suffering from scabies (Be Serious) due to over crowdedness of the prison. 

Making the disclosure to reporters on Thursday May 29, 2020 in Sanniquellie, the Superintendent of the Sanniquellie Central Prison Mark B.Kardor explained that 85% of the inmates are currently suffering from the common skin disease known as “Be serious.”

According to medical definition, Scabies is an infestation of parasitic mites, causing intense itching caused by the mites burrowing into the skin of humans and other animals. It is easily transmissible from human to human; secondary skin infection may occur.

Kardor stressed that the prison facility was constructed to host 75 inmates, but the facilities has been over crowded now hosting about 245 inmates. 

Out of the 243 inmates, Kardor narrated that 6 were females, 10 juvenile, and the rest were adults. 

He also disclosed that among those inmates were two refugees who committed crimes, as one person has almost spend a year there. 

The Sanniquellie Central Prison Superintendent asserted that pretrial detainees were in majority at the prison. 

Kardor is requesting the Ministry of Justice to try and set up a fast track court to visit the case files of pre trial detainees to enable help reduce the over crowdedness of the prison. 

Superintendent Kardor mentioned that he has on many occasions reported the situation in the county joint Security pillar meeting, but nothing has been done. 

He maintained that there are only two defense councils in the county pleading cases for people who do not have the means to hire lawyers. 

The Sanniquellie Central Prison Superintendent claimed that they were lack of sanitary materials at the prison. 

Commenting on the Government support towards the prison, Kardor lauded the Government for always providing food for the inmates. 

He asserted that their challenges were that the only vehicle they have has broken down as there was means to transport inmates to the hospital for medical checkup.