By Doh James Sonkey
The Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso has said that prisons in Cameroon are preparation centres for social reintegration and academic excellence. The Minister was speaking last October 24 in Yaounde, as he chaired the annual meeting of Heads of Courts of Appeal and Regional Delegates of Penitentiary Administration.
Laurent Esso said, “Prison is a place where detainees are prepared for social reintegration, once released. This preparation for social reintegration led us to the recruitment of staff specialised in agronomy, livestock and civil engineering within the Penitentiary Administration. This preparation prompted us to make informal education effective in Cameroon’s prisons”, he said.
According to Laurent Esso, “Between 2019 and 2023, 1455 detainees benefited from non-formal education in prisons. Among them, 174 obtained diplomas in both primary and secondary education.’’
The Minister asked these rhetorical questions: “should a person be deprived of liberty to be trained and awarded diploma at the expense of the State, whereas some people in liberty, who are not guilty of any offence don’t always have substantial means to be trained?”
He decried that, “however, our prisons which should be places where sentences of loss of liberty are served, often host as many awaiting trials as final convicts. Sometimes, these prisons even host people who have been deprived of their liberty by other administrations. The Centre Court of Appeal for instance in the second quarter of 2024, hosts out of almost 9500 detainees, about 4200 were remanded in custody.”
Two presentations marked the annual meeting of Heads of Courts of Appeal and Regional Delegates of Penitentiary Administration namely; Remand in Custody by the Procureur General at the Centre Court of Appeal, Ntamack Jean Fils and Education in Cameroon’s prisons, an activity to prepare detainees for social reintegration; achievements, challenges and prospects by the Regional Delegate of Penitentiary Administration for the North West, Sap Asaah-Ngu Mbah Walter.
Some 48 staff of the Ministry of Justice were awarded medals for their hard work. Officially opening the annual meeting of Heads of Courts of Appeal and Regional Delegates of Penitentiary Administration, the Minister of State, Laurent Esso told the happy recipients of medals that, “your work is appreciated, your merits and your professional skills are thus rewarded. Keep on giving your very best. Once again sincere congratulations.”
The Minister of State personally decorated 11 recipients while the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Justice, Jean De Dieu Momo gave to 10 recipients and the Secretary of State, to the Minister of Justice in charge of Penitentiary Administration, Doh Jerome Penbaga decorated the others.
The two-day event closed last October 25.