Children Still Being Charged For Wandering

Sep 23, 2018 News

– Despite orders from Min. of Public Security

Months after the Juvenile Justice Act has been assented to by President Granger, children are still being arrested or charged for wandering.
This is according to Ms. Nicole Cole, a commissioner on the Rights of the Child Commission.
“It is not working at the moment. As we stand here, children are still being charged for wandering.”
According to Ms. Cole, on June 1, last, she paid a visit to the Juvenile holding facility at Sophia where she was astonished to find children there on charges of wandering.
The minister however said that since the bill was assented by the president after the bill was passed in parliament, he had issued an order that no child was to be arrested and charged for wandering.
When questioned about his knowledge of children being charged, Commissioner of Police Leslie James, opined that he was not aware of anything of the sort, but vowed to personally look into the matter as soon as possible.
“That order would have been given obviously before I became commissioner, but it is strange, because if an order has been given by the policymaker it has to be carried out.”
“I personally will check, because we do not know for certain if what has been reported here is factual. I will check to confirm if persons were taken into custody subsequent to the passing of that Bill”
The Juvenile Justice Act would have been voted on and passed in parliament on April 26, 2018. It sought to abolish wandering, truancy and vagrancy as offences.

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