Maseru, Sept.16 — The Commission Of Inquiry on the escape of inmates watched the footage again to confirm some of the incidents of December 22, 2023 at Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI).
The objective was also to confirm if MCCI Superiors were in block C and saw when the inmates were assaulted as a number of witnesses who testified earlier including Correctional Officer Tanki Kheleli, told the Commission that the superiors must have heard cries and saw when inmates were assaulted.
Officer Kheleli, who opened some of the cells on that day also disclosed in his testimony on Monday that he could not remember some of the incidents during the search exercise hence the Commission resolved that the footage be watched again.
The footage showed that the assaults were continuing but stopped when the complements were exclaimed for MCCI Commander Assistant Commissioner Manaka, his second in charge Senior Superintendent Mahlelebe and Correctional Service Training School (CSTS) Commander, Assistant Commissioner Nthako as they entered block C.
Meanwhile, the trio cross examined officer Kheleli on this matter denying that inmates were assaulted in their presence.
However, Kheleli argued that some recruits did not see the trio and continued to assault inmates until ” Up” was exclaimed thus that was when such recruits stopped assaulting the inmates when they saw the trio.
The inmates were assaulted by recruits during the search exercise that was conducted at MCCI on December 22, leaving one Tlotliso Bereng paralysed.
Ends
