Grand Cape Mount Coordinator Urges Authorities to Provide Water for Prison Facility

ROBERTSPORT – The County Coordinator of Grand Cape Mount, Bai L. Sherman, has called on county authorities to address the water shortage at the local prison facility, citing significant security risks. He emphasized that lack of water forces inmates to leave the prison to fetch water, posing a threat to both prison officers and the community.

Speaking in response to the judge’s charge at the opening of the November A.D. Term of Court on Monday, November 11, 2024, Sherman urged county officials to collaborate with the water corporation to mitigate the security risks created by allowing inmates to draw water outside the prison premises.

“I was walking when I saw prisoners carrying water gallons on their heads with only one unarmed prison officer supervising them,” Sherman recounted, warning that this situation could easily escalate into a security threat. The lack of water at prison facilities is not unique to Grand Cape Mount; it is a widespread issue affecting prisons across Liberia.

He highlighted that having prisoners roaming outside for water with minimal supervision endangers the assigned officer, who is often outnumbered by the inmates. “It’s risky to see prisoners going out to get water themselves; they should remain in the facility until their cases are heard,” he insisted, appealing for immediate action to prevent potential security incidents.

This issue echoes concerns raised by former Chief Justice Gloria Musu-Scott, who had previously highlighted the deplorable conditions at Monrovia Central Prison, particularly for female inmates. During her time in detention, Scott called on the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) to provide a reliable water supply to the facility, noting that accessing water from wells was extremely challenging.

The water shortage has now spread to remote counties, where inmates are similarly compelled to leave prison grounds to obtain water for personal use. Prison Superintendent Varney Lake has also appealed to the national government and international partners for support, emphasizing that the water shortage at the central prison requires urgent attention.

Meanwhile, Sherman used the occasion to address the jury selection process, stressing the importance of literacy and rotation among jurors. “There’s a need to ensure jurors can read, write, and understand their responsibilities,” he said. “We should also avoid repeated jurors to maintain fairness and integrity in the justice system.”

He called for a more diverse jury pool, suggesting that rotating new faces into the jury would reinforce the court’s commitment to serving justice impartially.