By Ngor Deng Matem
Inmates in Kuajok Central Prison of Warrap State temporarily locked the prison gate and detained two prison wardens who were on duty for hours, confiscating keys as the prisoners protested poor deteriorating health conditions at Kuajok Central Prison.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper over the weekend, an anonymous source said the latrine is full and the sewage tank has not been emptied adding that they have been facing shortage of water for both drinking and bathing among others.
“We sleep on the floor just. There are no mats, blanket or anything that can help us protect ourselves from harmful things while inside. The toilets are full and no one has removed the sewage exposing us into health threats of diseases,” one inmate who spoke on condition of anonymity told the government representative at the prison.
As the situation continued without improvement, the inmates reportedly decided to protest and locked the access to the prison facility and detained two prison wardens who had been on duty.
“The prisoners have locked the entrance gate from inside. They managed to detain two of the prison wardens who were on duty and took the keys” an official with the prison department who spoke on anonymity explained the situation.
“The gate was locked for the period of 24 hours. There was nobody in and nobody out. They did this to show frustration but government has listened to their demands and addressed some of them. The sewage was removed and the water tapes that supply the water were worked out,” the anonymous official source added.
“The Minister of Cabinet Affairs who doubled as Acting Governor Diing Wek visited the prison cell. He was accompanied by the State officials and he expressed his government’s readiness and commitment to address those prevailing challenges with time,” he added.
There are more three hundred inmates convicted of different crimes and charges at Kuajok, the state main prison.