Female Wing It had 4 cells and one disciplinary cell, all the occupants of which I spoke to. The latter had one inmate, who had been there for 7 months. The other prisoners stated that the lone occupant was violent and fought the former. Complaints - insufficient food and poor health care; two inmates had no one to visit them or bring them food. Juveniles Wing One of them complained of being given medicine which had expired while another complained that he had not received the drug which had been prescribed for him. The food was described as bad. I considered the following complaints as so serious as to bring them to the immediate attention of the Director. A particular guard was identified as mistreating the juveniles. While generally the doors to their cell were closed at 8 p.m. and opened at 7 a.m., the guard in question would sometimes keep the door closed in day time for 4 weeks continuously. He would also not allow them to go out to buy food. The Director promised to investigate and take remedial action. Male Wing 5 cells housing 49, 65, 63, 64 and 65 prisoners respectively were visited. They were all very crowded with pots and pans as well as clothes hanging on the walls. The cells had ceiling fans. Some of the prisoners had no mats, and slept on cardboards. There were quite a number of the inmates who complained of long remand ranging from 7 years. Lokono Joseph claimed that he had been on remand for 12 years as a murder suspect. Other complaints (some stated in direct speech of the Complainants) Corruption in the judiciary and injustice in the penal regime. The food is insufficient and of poor quality. No one in the prison attends to the health needs of the prisoners, and the prison had no medicine. They will receive prescription, but have no means to buy the medicine. "One boy died about 2 weeks ago because he did not have money to buy medicine when he was sick. He was sick for 3 months without medical attention." 14 "Government does not provide jobs and so young people fall into criminality." "If you come from a poor family, there is no hope for you." Soap is supplied once in two weeks, but sometimes once in a month. Some inmates have no visits. Disciplinary Cell The occupant of the cell stated that he had been there for 3 months. It was however spacious. Mr. Philibert Sorou As we were leaving the prison, the above prisoner ran after us. He had been taken into custody as a murder suspect, but he himself had sustained a gunshot wound, probably self-inflicted in course of the conduct which had led to the deprivation of his liberty. However his wound was created, it was a pathetic sight. One did not have to be a doctor to conclude that life was ebbing out of him. What should be done with him alternated between discharge and hospitalisation. Against the former course of action, there was no certainty that his end would not soon come for lack of adequate medical care. The latter was, therefore, decided upon; and it says so much for the understanding and co-operation of the relevant authorities in Benin that in a matter of days, and while we were still in Benin, Mr. Sorou was admitted into hospital for surgery. Mr. Antoine Gouhouede, Parquet Porto-Novo, who had to sign a warrant to get Mr. Sorou out of prison was a model of a gentleman. He set aside all that he was doing in his office, expressed regret that the Director of the Prison had not brought Mr. Sorou's condition to the former's attention. The magistracy could have sent the prisoner to hospital; and at the worst civil society groups could have helped. Beyond the lone case of Mr. Sorou, Mr. Gouhouede acknowledged the problem of long remand. The danger and fear was that, when allowed to go home to turn up for trial suspects would disappear. A number of them come from Nigeria, and they slip across the border beyond the reach of the authorities in Benin. But it is important that early trial is given those on remand. 15