Rwanda Prisons authorities have refuted claims by families of eight Sierra Leonean war crimes Prisoners that they are being mistreated in a Rwandan prison.
The Sierra Leonean war criminals serving their sentence in Rwanda have complained about their mistreatment in prison and want to be transferred back home.
Paul Rwarakabije, the Commissioner General of the Rwanda Correctional Service, told the press that the Rwandan government was not only respecting its MOU with the Special Court but also providing extra incentives for the prisoners.
He also said that a team from the Special Court was in Rwanda and would be visiting the prisoners soon.
“Prisoners will always complain, but the fact is we have accorded them more than what we are required.”
“They are frequently visited by their relatives and are also accorded conjugal rights. These are international prisoners and we treat them in a special manner.” RCS Rwarakabije pointed out.
Two family sources, who asked not to be named, told Sierra Leone based press that they had called on government to intervene and have the prisoners back to complete their sentences in Sierra Leone.
According to Sierra Leone Press, the Government spokesman Ibrahim Ben Kargbo said that the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, set up to probe atrocities during the country’s 1991-2002 civil war, had warned the government not to interfere in the matter.
“We have been asked by the court to stay off from the matter as any such act will be interpreted as contempt,” said Kargbo.
In a nine-page petition handed by the families to the government on September 7, the men alleged that since their arrival in Kigali in October 2009 they had suffered poor nourishment and a lack of access to medical facilities.
The prisoners are three ex-leaders of the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Issa Hassan Sesay, Morris Kallon and Augustine Gbao and three former leaders of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), Alex Tamba Brima, Ibrahim Bazzy Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu.
The other two are former leaders of the Civil Defense Forces (CDF), Moinina Fofana and Allieu Kondewa.
The men, serving terms of between 15 and 52 years, were sent to Rwanda under a special arrangement as Sierra Leone does not have proper facilities for their detention.
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