By Septimus Senessie in Kono
Conditions for two babies, aged 3 and 10 months, are said to be deteriorating inside the Sefadu Prisons, in the eastern Kono district after their mothers were arrested and remanded for allegedly committing minor offences. One of the lactating mothers in remand, Marie Pokawa, told Politico that conditions were bad in detention. She was being detained for allegedly throwing human feces on her neighbor during a quarrel. “My 10-month-old baby and I have been remanded here for over five weeks now with no proper food and medication,” she alleged, adding that the official in charge of the prisons, Superintendent Ibrahim Bangura,had told them that “the government of Sierra Leone has not made any provision in the prisons for children.” She complained that food prepared for them were not good enough to help them breastfeed their babies. “The glucose biscuits, which are being served as food for the babies, cause frequent stoolling and leave them very weak,” she said in tears. Pokawa and her baby were last referred to the Government hospital in Koidu for medical attention on 10 April, 2013 when the health condition of her child had seriously deteriorated. Mother of the thee-month-old baby,anonymous, said there was no proper bedding, feeding was poor, medication and hygiene were terrible in the prisons. She said she was in remand because she could not pay the Le1 million she owed her business partners. Responding to the allegations, the officer in charge of the Sefadu Prisons, Superintendent Bangura, confirmed that there were two kids of the said ages and had been detained with their mothers for over a month now. He said he was aware of the “suffering they undergo but government has not made any provision for them in the prisons.” He said he had to use his own money to get biscuit mixtures for the babies and confirmed the ailment of one of the child who was sent for treatment on condition that they return afterwards. Mr. Bangura claimed to have drawn the attention of the ministry of social welfare and children’s affairs to the deplorable conditions of the babies but it was yet to intervene. The minister could not be reached for a comment. (c) Politico 11/04/13
