INMATE Benson Daniel reconcile with victims’ family behind locked bars at Tetere Correctional Centre in East Guadalcanal over the weekend.
The reconciliation ceremony was made possible by the Prison Fellowship Solomon Islands (PFSI) for the traffic incident which cause death of five innocent lives on 7 July 2021, at the Tenaru Bridge.
Inmate Benson Daniel been sentenced to manslaughter for the death of late Daniel Maeke and other four lives at Tenaru Bridge in East Guadalcanal.
This reconciliation was materialized through Prison Fellowship Solomon Islands where they mediated the reconciliation formalities between the victim and offender families.
During the emotional reconciliation ceremony, the offender’s families came face to face with the victim families, where acceptance and forgiveness been convened with a cultural presentation of two shell money, cash and a pig.
The victim’s representative Mr. McDonald Maeke during the reconciliation ceremony said, his family and tribe have accepted the apology from Inmate Benson as we move forward and allow God to forgive us and solves our grievances towards each other because of past incident.
Inmate Benson Daniel says, reconciling with the immediate family of the victim is what I am praying for since the day I was incarcerated. I also asked the victim’s family to give me true forgiveness from their heart.
Gabriel Bate’e of Prison Fellowship Solomon Islands adds, there are two directions of forgiveness presented in the Bible. These two directions are portrayed by that great symbol of our Christian faith: The Cross.
The Cross has two beams, – One Vertical, – One Horizontal, that represent the two directions of forgiveness.
The vertical beam represents the forgiveness that we all need to receive from God and can be received only through our identification with the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Horizontal beam represents our relationship we our fellow men, and it speaks of the forgiveness that, in this case, has two directions: the forgiveness we need to receive from others, and the forgiveness we need to extend to others. Once again, the only place where we can receive the grace for that kind of forgiveness is at the Cross of Jesus Christ, says Bate’e.
Deputy Commissioner Administration of CSSI Mr. Chris Bwekulyi acknowledge the tireless effort made by PFSI Team for making this reconciliation ceremony a successful.
“Reconciliation of inmate and their families with the victim and families are of paramount importance for the reintegration of inmates upon their release to their families and community”.
“This aligns to the CSSI strategic direction 2023-2026, core function under prisoner management strategies”, says Bwekulyi.
Supervising Commandant Tetere Correctional Centre Mr. Charles Noli acknowledge and thanked the two parties for their respect displayed during the reconciliation ceremony.
This reconciliation ceremony been witnessed by Prison Fellowship Solomon Islands, CSSI Deputy Commissioner Administration, Director Rehabilitation, Tetere Police, and Members from both Parties (Victim and Offenders).
Certificates been signed off by two parties in recognition of this reconciliation and both parties welcomed and respect the reconciliation ceremony going forward.
