Police holding cells

Provincial police commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, is now raising concerns over the number of detainees and remandees in the new police station building.

Currently there are 45 detainees and remandees in the police cells.

Yapu, who spoke to this newsroom, said the new police station has separate holding cells for male, female and juvenile detainees but the 45 is a lot.

“We want to keep a small number of detainees at one time at the cells,” he said.

Without the holding cells and prisons operating, the criminal justice court system cannot work effectively, says Chief Justice, Sir Salamo Injia.

He said that there are provinces that do not have fully functional jails and people should be concerned, as the courts are as well.

“If these things are not addressed by the executive government, fully, then the courts may be compelled to take their own actions, to ensure that provincial jails are established in each province and they are fully functional.