By Martha Louis – EMTV News, Madang
Madang’s Beon Correctional Facility is overcrowded due to the increasing number of inmates.
Beon CS Commander, Chief Inspector Andrew Polis, says the holding capacity of Beon is 200 inmates. But as of last week, they are accommodating 444.
This number covers both prisoners and remandees.
Madang’s Beon Correctional Facility has a holding capacity of 200 inmates comprising of both men and women, however, currently, Beon is accommodating twice its holding capacity.
Beon is also accommodating remandees from the condemned Jomba Police Station cell this is also contributing to the overcrowding.
For now, CS officers are doing what they can to accommodate the increasing number of inmates, by putting some of the remandees from the condemned Jomba Police Station cell, in the minimum security unit.
With the increasing number of remandees at Beon there is another problem; Madang Province has only one magistrate to deal with the increasing number of court cases.
Senior Provincial Magistrate, Josephine Kilage, confirmed this, saying Madang is in a critical situation.
She says four magistrates should be stationed in town, while one should be stationed in Bogia, one in Karkar, and one in Ramu, including the Senior Provincial Magistrate.
There should be 8 magistrates in the province, but currently, Madang is down to one.
Magistrate Kilage, says CS headquarters is aware of the situation in Madang, and are looking into solving it.
