Somali business association bails out seven inmates
The Somali business community, through the South Sudan Islamic Council in Juba, paid for the release of seven prisoners from Juba Central Prison who had completed their terms of jail.
“We have successfully facilitated the release of seven prisoners who have already saved their time and only paid their respective fines and we have succeeded in paying the fines so that they are free to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr, “Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Hassan Ali told journalists on Tuesday at the Juba Central Prison in Juba.
He said the release of the inmates was just the beginning and promised to do more, despite the lengthy procedures required.
The Deputy Director of Juba Prison, Bak Anyar Longor, confirmed the release of the inmates by the Somali Business Association.
“One week ago, the Somali community demanded to pay the fine for those whose penalties ranged from SSP 50,000 and below. We accepted and made a list of those people with less money, and the money has already been paid by the Somali community through the Islamic Council, “he said
Longor revealed that the prison was overcrowded, “We have 2,400 inmates and this is a challenge for Juba Central Prison to have such a big number of inmates.”
The Juba Central Prison was constructed with an intention of accommodating 300 to 500 intimates. But according to Longor, the number has now reached more than 2,000, making it the biggest challenge that the prison is currently facing.
On Monday, South Sudan joined the rest of Muslims around the world in celebrating the three-day Eid al-Fitr festival, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, or the festival of breaking the fast that starts with the first detection of the moon in different countries. The celebrations in Juba began with a special early morning prayer in the open-air spaces at Medan Zahara at Konyo Konyo, and later families and friends met for feasts and festivals.
