The freedom of six inmates at the Navrongo Central Prisons in the Upper East Region has been restored thanks to Ahmadiyya Muslim Lawyers Association, Ghana (AMLAG), a group of legal practitioners of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community.
The six were among inmates convicted for various offences with options to pay fines by the court in 2023, but due to their inability to pay, had been languishing in prison custody.
The fines ranged from GH₵3,000.00 to GH₵6,000.00 per person.
The AMLAG, as part of its Humanitarian Service Project, paid the fines of the six who had shown remorse and were of good behaviour.
The AMLAG also donated food items, particularly bags of rice and an amount of GH₵1,000.00 to the officials of the Prisons to support the upkeep of the rest of the inmates.
At a brief ceremony to that effect, Dr Kamal-Deen Ali, the President of AMLAG, indicated that the pilot project was part of the call by the leadership of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community to use their various professions to offer humanitarian assistance to vulnerable in society.
Dr Ali explained that the intervention that had seen the rescuing of the six inmates was not only a service to humanity but also the contribution of AMLAG towards the reformation of those inmates to contribute significantly to nation building.
“The very fact that the court gave them an option of fine means that it is contemplating that these people can be useful in society, otherwise no fines would have been given to them.
“But here is the case they are unable to pay the fines, so we think that since the court has given that option, we should take that step to make such an intervention,” he said.
He said apart from the legal service rendered to the vulnerable in society, AMLAG was working with various stakeholders, particularly those in the legal system to contribute to the advancement of society including rescuing and uplifting the condition of inmates.
“As lawyers, the normal thing we will always do and which we are doing is to offer legal representation to people who are vulnerable. So, for example, we have written and are in discussion with the Ghana Legal Aid Board to see where we can offer our services to people who need legal services but cannot pay,” he added.
Mr Maulvi Quaye, the Upper East Regional Mission, AMLAG, explained that being in prison did not mean that they were worse sinners on earth but that it offered them the opportunity to learn and come out as better citizens to transform society.
He admonished them to give their lives to God and adhere to all the reformation activities.
Mr Jaladeen Abdulai, a member of AMLAG, advised the six who had been rescued not to return to activities that would bring them back to prison but channel their energies into productive ventures to transform their lives.
Assistant Deputy Director of Prisons, Yakubu Ibrahim Abugrago, the Upper East Regional Commander of Ghana Prisons Service, thanked AMLAG for the intervention, saying, it would not only help reduce overcrowding in the prison but offer the rescued persons the opportunity to reintegrate into society and contribute to nation building.
Mr Emmanuel Kose, one of the rescued inmates, thanked AMLAG for the intervention and officials of the prisons for the lessons during their stay in prison and pledged to desist from criminal activities.
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