Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Prisons Care and Counselling Association (PRISCA) has urged government to intensify efforts to decongest correctional facilities across the country.
PRISCA Executive Director Dr Godfrey Malembeka has told QFM news in a telephone interview that one way of decongesting correctional facilities is by disposing of cases before the courts in good time.
Dr Malembeka says decentralizing the criminal judicial system is also another way of decongesting correctional facilities.
He notes that only four of the ten provinces have resident magistrates to preside over criminal cases in the country.
He adds that the high bail fees are also contributing to congestion in correctional facilities.
Meanwhile, Dr Malembeka has observed that political violence has in the past few years contributed to congestion in prisons as more cadres have been arrested for political violence.