Alleged Robbers Tell Court of Harsh Conditions at Mile Two Prison robbers have spoken out in court about what they describe as cruel and degrading treatment while held in solitary confinement at Mile Two Prison.
During a court appearance, one of the accused, Ansumana Jarju, told the judge that although they are remand prisoners, they are kept in solitary cells 24 hours a day with handcuffs on. According to him, the cuffs are only removed for 30 minutes each day—just enough time to shower and empty their buckets.
Jarju is one of four accused in a robbery case involving a bank in Bijilo. The group is facing charges that include robbery, illegal possession of firearms, and conspiracy to commit a felony. He spoke on behalf of the others, stating they were not given the chance to enter their pleas because some of them had no legal representation in court.
He questioned the continued use of handcuffs, saying, “I’m already behind bars, so why am I still being cuffed?” He claimed the situation had improved briefly after earlier court intervention but said they’re now back to the same harsh conditions.
Jarju also shared an incident where another inmate tried to escape, after which his own minor privileges were revoked and he was again cuffed. He said he confronted prison authorities about the fairness of this, arguing that punishing him for someone else’s actions was unjust and against the law.
He mentioned that he had approached a high-ranking prison official to express concern over the treatment, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of international human rights agreements. The official reportedly defended the measures as “necessary under the circumstances,” a justification Jarju strongly rejected.
“I told him this would not be tolerated anywhere else in the world,” Jarju said. “I also told him I would speak out in court and that he would have to explain himself.”
In a separate case, another lawyer raised similar concerns on behalf of his client, who is also being held at Mile Two. He informed the court that his client is locked up alone nearly all day, with only a brief chance in the morning to shower and change clothes.
These testimonies have brought renewed attention to the conditions at the central prison, raising questions about how pretrial detainees are treated while awaiting judgment.
