By Alan Clement
Warrap’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Acuil Malei Aliap, has called on prison authorities to ensure that inmates are treated humanely and respect their rights without harassment.
According to the State’s Information Ministry, Dr. Acuil made the remarks during a visit to Kuajok State Prison in Manyang Kuel on behalf of the Governor Amb. Bol Wek Agoth stressing that rehabilitation, not mistreatment, should be the priority.
“Prisoners must be granted their rights without harassment,” Dr. Acuil said in a statement, urging officers to improve conditions and focus on reform rather than punishment.
According to Warrap’s Ministry of Information, inmates at Kuajok State Prison voiced serious concerns which included inadequate medical care, a shortage of sleeping mats, and limited access to family visits due to ongoing food insecurity warning that these harsh conditions often lead to thoughts of escape, further complicating their rehabilitation and mental well-being.
In response, Dr. Acuil urged inmates to focus on rehabilitation and discouraged any attempts to flee custody. He also encouraged young people to pursue agriculture as a productive alternative to crime. “Escaping from custody is a serious offense,” the Minister said, as quoted by Warrap’s Ministry of Information.
The Minister also praised the First Lady of the Republic of South Sudan, Mary Ayen Mayardit, for her humanitarian support to Kuajok State Prison, highlighting her donation of fifty sacks of maize flour, eight sacks of beans, and cooking oil.
These provisions have helped ease the food crisis affecting the 360 inmates. “Her support has significantly alleviated food shortages in the prison,” Dr. Acuil noted in a statement.
General Santino Awar Bak, Director of Warrap State Prison Service, echoed the Minister’s sentiments, thanking the First Lady and reaffirming the commitment to improving inmate welfare.
The minister’s delegation, which included the Deputy Town Mayor and prison authorities, pledged to work toward addressing the concerns and improving the well-being of prisoners in Warrap State.