PRISCCA BACKS CALLS TO DECONJEST CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IN LIGHT OF RISING CHOLERA CASES

The Prison Care and Counselling Association -PRISCCA- has added its voice in urging the judiciary to swiftly address the cholera pandemic by conducting mobile courts in order to tackle the backlog of cases and reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities.

PRISCCA Executive Director Godfrey Malembeka has warned that it would be catastrophic for the cholera outbreak to reach correctional facilities that currently have in excess of 25,000 inmates utilizing infrastructure meant for 10,000 people.

Dr. Malembeka tells Phoenix News that with over 5000 people awaiting trial and over 1500 on bailable offences, magistrates can set up temporary mobile courts at correctional facilities to clear some cases.

He is advocating for relaxed bail conditions for selected cases by rescinding the cash bail requirement and number of sureties, and for courts to sit on weekends to fast track the decongestion of correctional facilities.

Recently, the Human Rights Commission called on the Zambia Police to scale up their discretionary powers of granting bond to suspects as a way of decongesting police cells and preventing cholera from spreading.

PHOENIX NEWS