Juba Central Prison has constructed six new wards with a combined capacity of 480 beds as authorities move to address severe overcrowding at the facility.

The prison currently houses more than 3,000 inmates, according to the Director of Juba Central Prison, General Anthony Oliver Legge.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Tuesday morning, General Legge said each of the six newly constructed wards can accommodate 80 inmates. He explained that the additional facilities were built in open spaces within the prison compound, primarily to house inmates awaiting sentencing.

The prison chief said congestion has been one of the biggest challenges facing the facility, with many inmates lacking adequate sleeping space.

“We were suffering from overcrowding in the prison, where the prison population today exceeds three thousand,” General Legge said. “Sleep was one of the biggest problems facing the prisoners.”

In addition to the new wards, prison authorities are planning to renovate older accommodation blocks and provide them with additional beds to further improve conditions.

General Legge said the renovation programme has also included improvements to the section housing inmates with mental health conditions, as well as the prison’s bathroom facilities.

“The new number of wards in Juba Central Prison is six, each with a capacity of eighty beds. We will also renovate the old wards and equip them with beds,” he said.

“When we found an opportunity to renovate the prison, we decided to utilize the open spaces between the wards and built these wards for those awaiting sentencing.”

The prison administration also intends to reorganize inmates according to the crimes they committed or are accused of committing.

According to General Legge, prisoners facing charges or convictions for offences such as murder, robbery, theft and rape will be housed in separate wards.

“In the coming period, we will divide the inmates into wards according to the crimes they committed. For example, crimes such as murder, robbery, theft, and rape will be distributed to each group in a separate ward,” he said.

The prison director said the ongoing expansion and renovation works are aimed at improving living conditions for inmates while helping to address long-standing overcrowding challenges at Juba Central Prison.