16 The Director took me on a tour of the Prison. It has two main parts. One section was once reserved for convicts, but because of the high increase in the number of remand prisoners, only a section of it now serves that function. Juveniles Section Juveniles were housed on one yard with a tap and 10 rooms measuring about 4 x 2 metres each. There were 2 toilets. The roof leaked, and seeping water produced stagnant water on the floor of all the cells. The stench of urine was quite pungent, and a little more cleanliness would have been welcomed. 33 juveniles in fact occupied the cells. They expressed the desire to sleep in the open yard adjacent to their cells so that they could have fresh air instead of the heat in their cells. Were their desire to be granted, the nuisance of mosquitoes in their cells would still have persisted in their preferred abode since a large section of it is not roofed. The juveniles confirmed receiving 3 meals each day, but wished the administration would provide them with clothes. Some of them went to school from their cells. Most of them had no visit from their families since they either had none or had lost contact with them. Essential medecine was the only medication they received from the administration in case of ill health. The Remand Sections Citing security as the reason, The Registrar counselled against entry. Communication with the inmates was through iron bars which separated us. There were some who appeared young enough to be juveniles. Each section consisted of a yard and rooms which opened onto the yard. There were a tap and toilet in each yard. They complained about lack of blankets, mats, clothes and soap. They also complained about the poor quality of the meals served to them. Since most of them had lost contact with their families the rights of visit and correspondence were not of use to them. They were bitter that some of them had been on remand for more than 5 years. Convicts Section As in the case of those on remand, the Registrar did not allow us to go inside the section for convicts for security reasons. Communication with the prisoners was carried out as had been done with the juveniles. 17 20 of them were inside this section while the rest were working outside the prison. Those present had similar complaints as the juveniles. Additionally, they complained that their remand period had not been taken into account during their sentencing. The tap here was defective, and water had to be brought from another tap in the central yard of the prison. General Remarks about the atmosphere in the prison The detainees were tense, and not relaxed at all. This must explain why the Registrar feared for security when I asked to be allowed into the remand and convicts sections. It partially explains, most probably, why there had been two revolts in this prison. Kept in such tense circumstances over a long period the danger of escape, riot or revolt is ever present. The escape of 100 inmates from Kayes prison on 17 August 1997 must also have concentrated the mind of the registrar most wonderfully on the question of security. The Chief guard appeared nervous during the visit, and was observed beating one inmate who was on his way to fetch water from the yard. The Second Half of The Prison This part looked quieter, neater and better kept. The inmates wore better and cleaner clothes. Food parcels coming into the prison for inmates were kept together at an entrance of the prison before being distributed to the donees. Inmates walked freely about in the yard. They were not locked into their cells and rooms as in the case of those in the first half of the prison. The Registrar explained that elderly detainees and «civil servants» were held in this half of the prison. The cells looked much nicer and cleaner and quite comfortable with fans, games, mats and books. This section was generally dry. Among the inmates were foreigners from Nigeria, The Gambia, Liberia and Ghana. The Women's Section was located in this part of the prison. All the guards and