A nominee to the Supreme Court, Justice Eric Adjei-Frimpong, has recommended that persons convicted should be separated from those undergoing trial and in prison custody.
According to him, this will help alleviate congestion issues at various prisons, as there have been numerous complaints about the lack of space.
Speaking during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Wednesday, Justice Adjei-Frimpong stated that there is significant congestion in prisons, making it difficult to classify prisoners.
“Prisoners or criminals are lumped together with those who have committed lesser offences, and something has to be done about it,” he said.
Justice Adjei-Frimpong emphasised that concerning the sentencing regime, many provisions are dictated by statute, limiting the judge’s scope for the sentence he may impose.
However, he argued that there are situations where there is an option of a fine, and mentioned a provision under Article 30 stating that unless there is a compelling provision for a custodial sentence, the judge may consider imposing a fine.
“I think as judges, especially those at the trial level, we should have these provisions in mind so that we don’t compound the problems of congestion in the prisons,” he advised.”
