Ombudsman exposes rights abuses in police detention

Across Namibia, police holding cells are chronically overcrowded and grappling with conditions constituting human rights violations, from inadequate sanitation, food and healthcare to alleged ill-treatment of inmates.

Ombudsman Basilius Dyakugha documented the findings after conducting monitoring visits to police holding cells in nine northern regions in May to determine detention conditions and compliance with national and international human rights standards.

The findings point to systemic shortcomings, including persistent overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, poor infrastructure, deficient healthcare services, food and nutrition challenges, prolonged detention, failures in the protection of children, and allegations of assault and ill-treatment.

The report said the findings were not isolated incidents "but reflect broader structural and operational weaknesses affecting the detention system".

Police holding cells are “increasingly being required to perform functions for which they are neither designed nor adequately resourced", it found.

The prolonged detention of trial-awaiting inmates, persons with mental health conditions, children and immigration detainees places significant pressure on police resources and contributes directly to many of the deficiencies identified, the report said.

“All children currently detained in police holding cells should be transferred without delay,” the report stressed. “Children must never be detained together with adults.”

In November police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi acknowledged that juveniles are sometimes held with adults.

Overhaul of police cells

The findings echo an acknowledgement made six months ago, when the Namibian Police admitted that many, if not all, police holding cells across the country were chronically overcrowded.

That admission followed data for January and February 2025, presented to parliamentarians, which showed that Gobabis police cells held 224 suspects despite a capacity of just 60.

The situation in Katima Mulilo was worse, with 262 suspects crammed into cells designed for 60. Overall, nearly 3 000 suspects, including foreign nationals, were in police detention during that period, far exceeding the combined capacity of 1 358 across the towns reviewed.

The Ombudsman recommended that management and operation of police holding cells be transferred to the Namibia Correctional Service (NCS), with the handover phased in starting with trial-awaiting inmates.

Dyakugha proposed a pilot transfer of the Oshakati, Ondangwa and Omuthiya holding cells, citing the severity, scale and frequency of human rights abuses documented during the visits.

He also recommended that police authorities, the office of the prosecutor general, the judiciary and the magistracy develop a coordinated strategy to reduce overcrowding related to pre-trial detention.

Welfare and dignity

The ombudsman called on the health and social services ministry to urgently strengthen healthcare in holding cells, including prioritising medical assessments and nutritional support for inmates; follow-up monitoring; medication storage and tracking; pest control; deployment of nurses and mental health awareness training for police officers.

The report was handed to Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare on Monday, with his office describing it as an important tool to improve detention conditions and strengthen human rights protections.

“The report provides us with an opportunity to address challenges and strengthen our institutions,” Ngurare said.

“We have to act quickly on its recommendations because the welfare, dignity and rights of all people must be protected.”