Zambia Correctional Services Commissioner General Fredrick Chilukutu is concerned with the increasing population of inmates in all its facilities countrywide.
Mr Chilukutu said the increasing population of inmates is proving to be a feeding cost burden to the institution.
Speaking during a courtesy call on Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Paul Thole yesterday, the Zambia Correctional Services Chief said the increased number of inmates has been contributed by the continued influx of illegal immigrants entering the country from various points including Eastern Province.
“The increase in inmate’s population is growing in the country. Here in the Eastern Province, we have a lot of illegal immigrants entering the country and the State has put up security interventions,” he said.
Mr Chilukutu said the increased inmate population in correctional facilities compromises the health and feeding programmes of the inmates as well as the reformatory policy.
And the Commissioner General said the Service has planted 250 hectares of maize, 200 hectares of soya beans and an average of 50 hectares of other crops like sunflower and sorghum in the province.
Mr Chilukutu said works on the milling plant in Petauke have reached an advanced stage adding that the plant may be completed in May this year.
“The works on the milling plant have been kind of slow due to the cash flow. In a few coming weeks there will be a lot of activities in order for us to meet the target,” he said.
The Commissioner General also stated that plans to construct housing units for its officers in the province are on the cards.
Meanwhile, Mr Thole commended the Zambia Correctional Service for implementing programmes that are reforming inmates in all its facilities in the Eastern Province.
The Permanent Secretary said the issue of illegal immigrants needs a collective effort from all stakeholders if it is to be effectively addressed.
I would suggest that first time offenders who are less likely to flee should be given community based sentences which will shame them as they appear in public and also help to clean up dirty places like Lusaka.
Those serving sentences for defamation of the president should be freed
Do something about it you f00I. Hh appointed you to solve that problem. Are these the meritorious appointment
A nation of thieves bred and encorraged by PF & ELC
“The increase in inmate’s population is growing in the country. Here in the Eastern Province, we have a lot of illegal immigrants entering the country and the State has put up security interventions,” he said.
I have said this time and again that you need a speedier process to deal with African Immgration especially from Ethophia in transit to SA. You just need a Holding Centres in all provinces where they are quickly processed put on a secured prison bus every week deported back home swiftly. Let RSA and AU pay for it.
Country without Minister of Justice.
Illegal immigrants shouldn’t be in zambian jails, but in refugee camps.
It’s because you always target small time thieves instead of the big crooks in Suits.
The way we are expanding and building more schools and health facilities is the same way we should be doing for prison infrastructure, but remember in this part of the world, planning and forecasting does not exist in our vocabulary.
Does n’t it mean Zambia Police and the judiciary are working extremely hard? Or could you say HH is jailing too many of his rivals?
Zambian prison is worse than Hitler’s concentration camp.
Shame.
Turn petty criminals into productive citizens first by forfeiting their working rights in exchange of hard labour. Use them to clean the streets and markets. Use them to give back to society instead of wasting money by bundling them in such conditions only to put more strain on the health services.
This overpopulation is where Kaizar is heading
This is horrific. Let us build more prison then…how expensive can it be surely?