A concern over the rights of detained Sanna Manjang has been raised by a lawyer who visited Mile 2 yesterday to see him. The lawyer wishes to remain anonymous for the time being, as no agreement for legal representation has been reached.
The lawyer alleged being denied access to Sanna Manjang, who is held on remand at the Mile 2 Central Prison. The lawyer further alleged being kept waiting for approximately an hour before being informed that access required the approval of the National Security Advisor (NSA).
“I was at Mile 2 to see Sanna Manjang as he is entitled to see a lawyer, but I was kept waiting for about 1 hour while the juniors consulted with the DG, after which they told me that the DG said I needed to seek the approval of the National Security Advisor.” The lawyer narrated.
The lawyer highlights a legal distinction regarding Sanna Manjang’s custody:
“It should be noted that Sanna is not in the custody of the police but in the custody of the court as he was sent there on remand by a court order.”
The lawyer referred to the 1997 Constitution, Section 24, as a guarantee of fundamental rights to persons under detention or charge.
According to the lawyer, the section explicitly states that Manjang “is entitled to a lawyer of his choosing, or if he cannot afford one, then the state would provide one for him.”
The lawyer confirmed they are in the process of working on Manjang’s representation, stressed the importance of the meeting:
“I am not yet his lawyer, but work is done for his representation, and I need to see him for those purposes.” The lawyer concluded.
To hear the other side, I visited the Director General (DG) of Prisons for comment. DG stated that the procedure is that when they receive a new inmate, they must “process them first before giving them access to visit. DG assured that Sanna Manjang will be given full access to his lawyer and family once the process is complete.
“He has a right to legal representation if he’s going to court, and without talking to a lawyer, that will be impossible,” the DG stated, adding that his institution would not violate any inmate’s constitutional rights.
“By Monday his lawyer can come and visit him,” the DG confirmed.
DG said they also informed Sanna Manjang of his right to family visit and food from the family if he wished, but Sanna opted for the prison food.
By Kexx Sanneh
