By Stephen N. Tokpah
-Bong (freelance)
Documents obtained by the Inquirer Newspaper have revealed that rape and murder cases dominate the docket of the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga, Bong County, in this August Term of Court.
The court records showed that of the 94 cases are on its docket, the crimes account for 71 cases, while the Sexual Offense account for 23 rape cases in the county.
The record, which is in the possession of this paper, reveals that on the docket for this term are 18 murder cases, 10 thefts of property and criminal conspiracy cases as well as 43 illicit trafficking in person and aggravated assault cases.
The court’s docket further highlighted cases of pre-trial detainees from 2009 to 2024.
It can be recalled during the opening of the May A. D. 2024 Term of court, the Superintendent of the Gbarnga Central Prison, Richard Mulbah said 224 inmates were pre-trial detainees; some of whom had been detained for more than five years.
He said the Gbarnga Central Prison was originally built to accommodate 130 inmates but the facility is currently overwhelmed by over 307 inmates.
The Prison’s Superintendent revealed further that about 41 inmates have been detained at the facility without trial since 2009.
Notwithstanding, during the August Term of court’s opening, the presiding Judge at the 9th Judicial Circuit Court, George Wiles, called on the Executive Branch to release pretrial detainees who have been behind bars at the Gbarnga Central Prison for a protracted period of time.
Judge Wiles emphasized that individuals who have been held in prison without trial should be released to help decongest the prison’s facility.
Judge Wiles, who professes commitment to dispensing impartial justice, has expressed disappointment over the prolonged detention of individuals without prosecution, stating that it violates their human rights.
He noted that some complainants in pre-trial cases have failed to appear in court while the defendants continue to linger in custody.
“Some of the prisoners have overstayed and those who brought them have refused to come. Let’s the executive release these people,” the 9th Judicial Circuit Court presiding Judge noted.
Judge Wiles’ call for a prompt adjudication of pre-trial cases comes in the wake of reports of over crowdedness at the Gbarnga Central Prison.
For his part, Bong County Attorney, Jonathan Flomo, has welcomed Judge Wiles’ decision for a prompt adjudication of pre-trial cases.
He, at the same time, promised to communicate with the Minister of Justice over the release of pre-trial detainees.
The Bong County Chief Prosecutor has vowed to work closely with Judge Wiles to ensure the success of the August term of court in the County.
