Maseru, May 24 — The Officer Commanding Correctional Service Training School CSTS) , Assistant Commissioner Lipholo Nthako says he was not misplaced at the institution as he is competent in spite of his qualifications.
These, he said after the Commission of Inquiry questioned his qualifications as a Lawyer by profession yet the Institution required someone who is a teacher by profession.
Assistant Commissioner Nthako said he is able to do what the person in this position is assigned to do, indicating that the position was not advertised thus he could not say he was misplaced instead he was selected.
“Due to our practice, i cannot say i was misplaced, i can find myself being transferred to another department even tomorrow”. he stressed.
In another issue, he admitted that the general search exercise which was conducted at Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) was not performed well as officers assaulted inmates.
“If my officers came to search but in the end they assulated inmates without justification although torture itself is not justifable, the job was not perfomed well” he added.
Meanwhile if advertised, the position of the Commander CSTS required someone who holds masters in education plus experience of one year in Lesotho Correctional Service at the level of Senior Superintendent or Honours degree in education plus three years experience in LCS at the level of senior Superintendent.
However, Assistant Commissioner Nthako holds Master of Laws, and he was testifying before the commission of inquiry on the incidents that occurred at MCCI on December 21 and 22, 2023.
The Commission of Inquiry, which is Chaired by Justice Realeboha Mathaba was established with the objective to investigate the circumstances that led to the escape and assault of inmates which resulted in the death of one inmate leaving the other paralyzed in December last year at MCCI.
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