Senate commends correctional services

NYANZA- The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Security, has commended the implementation of correctional services conducted in Mpanga prison. The senators made the remarks, Friday, while visiting the Nyanza-based international prison in which eight Sierra-Leone war crimes prisoners and over 8,700 Rwandan inmates are being held for various crimes. The team, led by Senator Jean Damascene Bizimana, was assessing the manner in which correctional services have been implemented since the amendment of the law on prison services. Bizimana commended the prisons services for establishing development projects and educating the inmates and said the Senate will advocate for follow up on some of the justice issues. “The Senate will advocate for the streamlining and follow up of the unclear dossiers so as to avail justice to all the inmates,” he said. The Senators also toured some of the projects run by the prison, including the 58 ha Soya and maize fields, bee keeping, biogas as well as educational programs. “The objective of the prison is to provide correctional services and education to inmates so they can benefit during their time in prison,” said Alex Gato Sano, the Director of Mpanga prison. The inmates requested the Senate to advocate for an increase in the number of wardens, clarification on jail papers and close follow up on some of the uncertified jail terms. daniel.sabiiti@newtimes.co.rw