Atty. Gabriel F. Ndupellar, who is Assistant Minister for Rehabilitation at the Ministry of Justice’s Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitations, has raised concern about overcrowded prisons around Liberia.
Assistant Minister Ndupellar said this problem is mainly due to rising crime rates, which he also attributed to the growing population of the country.
Ndupellar spoke during the opening of a training session at the Gbarnga Regional Hub, when he addressed correction and probation officers. He stressed how critical it is to expand prison facilities across the country.
According to him, when the Gbarnga Central Prison was built in the past, it could hold only 129 inmates. But now, he said the population in Bong County has increased more than expected, thus leading to crowded conditions in prisons. The Assistant Minister said this situation is not only affecting Gbarnga Central Prison alone , but also other prisons across Liberia.
The concern of Assistant Minister Ndupellar has come at a tough time for Liberia, where the justice system is under pressure in handling the increasing number of people being put behind bars for crimes committed. He made it clear that crime rates are tied to the number of people identified; something he noted has caught the Ministry of Justice by surprise.
To tackle the issue of over-crowdedness in prisons, Ndupellar reassured everyone that the Ministry is working hard with partners to get support for better prison infrastructure. He disclosed that the Justice Ministry is reaching out to different groups to help make sure that correctional facilities can keep up with the growing population.
He also said the community plays an important role in the judicial process, cautioning that just celebrating when someone gets locked up is not enough, ‘if we don’t seriously think about their cases.’
The Assistant Justice Minister further noted that If someone goes to court and he or she careless with his or her case by not paying attention to the person who is jailed, the Ministry of Justice will encourage public defenders to ask for motions to dismiss their cases. He thinks this could help lower the number of people languishing in pre-trial detention in Liberia.
The ongoing training session, held in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is centered on boosting the skills of 45 correction officers from different prison facilities and 45 probation officers from various areas.
For three days, participants will discuss organizational structure, work ethics, human rights, and better reports’ writing.
As the training commenced May 26, 2025, the Ministry of Justice is hopeful that by equipping those in charge of justice with the right tools, they can face the challenges of Liberia’s correctional system head-on.
With prison overcrowding becoming overwhelmed, the proactive steps taken by the Ministry of Justice could lead to a fairer and more effective justice system in the country.
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