Prison brutality claims

An inmate at the Windhoek Central Prison has claimed that some wardens beat, choke and threaten prisoners. This, after four inmates from Unit Six were allegedly severely beaten by four prison wardens a week ago. According to an inmate who spoke to Namibian Sun by telephone, a senior superintendent found one of the alleged victims of the attack in the kitchen and accused him of carrying a cell phone. The officer apparently began searching him in a hard-handed, aggressive manner. Three of the inmate’s friends allegedly came to his aid, telling the superintendent that his actions were illegal. It is alleged that the superintendent later returned with four other wardens, taking the four inmates to a cell where they proceeded to beat, punch and kick them. “The next day one of them sneaked a letter to me saying that I must try and report the incident to the public. I then contacted Engelhardt Tjimbinae because since leaving prison he has been helping convicts like me,” the inmate said. “There was a constant and consistent use of force to resolve issues. I saw this treatment every single day in the ten years I spent in jail,” said Tjiimbinae, an activist for the rights of ex-convicts. “Inmates are left with broken bones and on several occasions, wardens psychologically torture inmates by threatening to hang them and bragging that they have done this to other inmates without being caught,” he said “I have written letters to the government. The violence has gone on for too long and they are hiding the fact that they are doing it. They are treating convicts like dogs, and when these men come out they continue living like animals because there is no rehabilitation in jail. “Most of them go to jail and come out worse. ” The inmate who called Namibian Sun claimed that one of the four prisoners who were beaten up was supposed to visit the hospital for another ailment, but he is still being held in the cells without medical treatment or visitation rights. Namibian Sun was contacted two days ago by a man claiming to be the brother of a convict. He said he was denied access to his brother, alelging that he had been beaten. “Let us try and help them because tomorrow it might be your brother,” Tjimbinae said. When contacted for comment, Deputy Commissioner of Prisons Tuhafeni Hangula said he was unaware of it. He said possessing a cell phone inside the prison is a criminal offence, but undertook that his staff would do their best to find out if the assault on the inmates was within “the framework of the law and if it was justifiable”. He further said that each morning inmates are given the chance to lay complaints with wardens. “Inmates have every right to open the case,” he said. “We are allowed to apply minimum force, however, officers are not allowed to assault any inmate unlawfully and if they do, there are procedures laid down to deal with them,” he said. LIMBA MUPETAMI