'All inmates are legal'
The Correctional Services of Namibia has denied an allegation that the Windhoek Central Correctional facility is refusing to release 200 prisoners that have purportedly served their time.
An SMS message to the press last week claimed that the management of the Windhoek prison is “unreasonable” and keeping the prisoners “illegally”.
The spokesperson of the Correctional Services of Namibia, Deputy Commissioner Eveline January, said all inmates at the Windhoek prison are “lawfully detained” and that there is no “material proof” of any inmate detained after he or she has served his or her time.
The Correctional Service Act No. 9 of 2012 provides for various lawful releases from correctional facilities such as when people are released on parole or after remission or upon sentence expiry.
January said releases on parole and earned remissions are conditional while the release upon sentence expiry is unconditional.
“Therefore, since the complaint was only specific on the total number of prisoners refused by the management and not the type of release was indicated, we can only invite the writer [of the SMS] to consult the officer in charge of the facility with details and information of the 200 inmates denied of their freedom,” said January in ridicule of the claim.
CATHERINE SASMAN
An SMS message to the press last week claimed that the management of the Windhoek prison is “unreasonable” and keeping the prisoners “illegally”.
The spokesperson of the Correctional Services of Namibia, Deputy Commissioner Eveline January, said all inmates at the Windhoek prison are “lawfully detained” and that there is no “material proof” of any inmate detained after he or she has served his or her time.
The Correctional Service Act No. 9 of 2012 provides for various lawful releases from correctional facilities such as when people are released on parole or after remission or upon sentence expiry.
January said releases on parole and earned remissions are conditional while the release upon sentence expiry is unconditional.
“Therefore, since the complaint was only specific on the total number of prisoners refused by the management and not the type of release was indicated, we can only invite the writer [of the SMS] to consult the officer in charge of the facility with details and information of the 200 inmates denied of their freedom,” said January in ridicule of the claim.
CATHERINE SASMAN
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Namibian Sun
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