40 remandees at Shimo La Tewa maximum prison have been infected with COVID-19.
Interior Ministry CAS Winnie Guchu raised concern over congestion at the jail.
She says the prison currently holds 1,532 inmates instead of 1,000.
“We have banned all visitors from coming into the prison during this time in order to avert further disaster”, she said.
Speaking to reporters at the launch of the prison sewerage project, Ms. Guchu said the government will release inmates with minor offenses to do community service for remainder of their sentences.
She urged the judiciary to consider non-custodial sentences in order to decongest prisons.
“We really need to think about other conflict resolution mechanism so as to decongest prisons especially during this time of COVID-19”, she added.
