Maseru, Sept. 12 — As he cried when sharing his testimony, Correctional Officer Tumelo Sekokotoana told the Commission that he almost committed suicide after he was alledged to have paralysed Tlotliso Bereng during the search exercise.
Officer Sekokotoana, who stand to be alleged to have assaulted a number of inmates told the Commission of Inquiry on the escape of inmates that he almost committed suicide after the two inmates, Khatala and Christopher alleged that he assaulted Tlotliso Bereng who is now paralysed as a result.
He said his name was all over radios and newspapers, to the extent that his picture was posted next to that of Bereng on one of the local newspapers.
He added that his life was very dull after the testimony of these two inmates, saying even the people who do not know him would remark ,” this is Sekokotoana who put Bereng on the wheelchair” he said.
“This did not sit well with me and if I did not have a wife and child, I could have committed suicide ” he added.
He further said if there were no cameras, this accusation could have suited him based on the testimony of the duo before the Commission.
Officer Sekokotoana also confirmed that inmates were assaulted and some without any reason.
He stressed that the inmates, who also accused him of assaulting them, were not telling the truth as the footage attested to that.
“After I watched the footage, I realized that it was a big project for every inmate within the institution, ” he said.
Meanwhile, the recruits who were seen entering Bereng’s cell as per footage are Correctional Officer Mothabeng, Mokoloko, Moabi and Mokhethi. They had since admitted entering Bereng’s cell before the Commission.
The search exercise was conducted at Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) on December 22, 2023 and resulted in the assault of inmates, leaving Bereng paralyzed.
