18 Non-Violent Inmates Rescued From Prison by Food for the Poor
Eighteen non-violent inmates have been rescued from prisons and lock-ups across Jamaica and will be able to start the New Year with their friends and families courtesy of Food For The Poor (FFP).
According to the Observer, eleven of the inmates were from St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre; four from Fort Augusta; one from Tower Street; one from Constant Spring Police Station; one from Tamarind Farm; one from Mandeville Police Station and one from May Pen Police Station.
In other countries, Food For The Poor also released 102 other non-violent inmates, which consisted of seven in Guyana, 19 in Honduras and 76 in Haiti.
President and chief executive officer of Food for the Poor Robin Mahfood said it is the charity organisation’s tradition to release non-violent inmates twice a year, during the Easter and Christmas seasons.
“The Prison Ministry Programme is based on the scripture, ‘When was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you… Matthew 25:31-46.’ We do this because we’re following Jesus’ example in the Gospels. It is the right thing to do,” Mahfood said following the series of prison releases.
“The vast majority of the prisons in Latin America and the Caribbean are notoriously overcrowded for a wide variety of reasons. There are also health and hygiene concerns,” Mahfood added.
A 43-year-old inmate from St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre, who was charged $50,000 or three months in prison under a warrant of Distringas & Capias – which is issued to compel someone to do something, but usually for a person owing money based on a court judgment, or who fails to appear for a civil hearing, or for violation of bail bonds – said he is eternally grateful to FFP for getting him released.
Source: The Observer