Overcrowded Liberian prison turns away new inmates
When Monrovia had about 300,000 residents, the prison was designed to house roughly 300 inmates. In a city of around 1.5 million inhabitants, it currently houses more over 1,600 prisoners.
Boakyewaa Lawrencia 
According to the justice ministry and prison officials, Liberia's main prison, the Monrovia Central Prison, has started turning away new inmates because of congestion and concerns about disease outbreaks.
According to Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean, prisoners accused of minor offenses were the ones being denied admittance to the facility.
People detained on minor offenses should instead be sent back to their communities and kept under the supervision of local authorities in cases where there was no property damage or injuries.
It comes in response to local media allegations that prison guards were preventing the admission of new detainees as a result of a strike that was still in effect over the payment of salary. Prison officials rejected the assertion.
When Monrovia had about 300,000 residents, the prison was designed to house roughly 300 inmates. In a city of around 1.5 million inhabitants, it currently houses more over 1,600 prisoners.
The prison houses convicted killers as well as armed robbers.
"Of course, there is an increase in crime rate when there is an increase in population," Mr. Dean remarked. There is a challenge, too.
According to the justice minister, engineers from the ministry of public works are developing a plan to build extra prison wings that can house up to 1,000 offenders.
