Maseru, May 28 — Inmates, who are members of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) and Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) are treated harshly at Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) as compared to others.
This was said by one of the LDF inmates, Nthatakane Motanyane when testifying before the Commission Of Inquiry on the general search exercise that was undertaken at MCCI on December 22.
Mr. Motanyane indicated that they are denied to be in possession of their health booklets by the clinic but other inmates are allowed to have them.
He added that they talk to their visitors from a distance at the visitors’ area while those of other inmates speak closely with them, saying it is also up to the officer who will be deployed at visitors area to determine how long they talk to their visitors.
“An officer can sometimes allow our visitors to give us our items and instruct them to leave,” he added.
He further said they live by the grace of God at the facility because the environment is not conducive, saying there is not even a single right that is theirs that would be read to them instead officers will tell them to respect them.
“What I have learned for these seven years I have been here is that it is not respect, instead they want inmates to fear them based on the manner in which they approach them,” he stressed.
In another issue, Mr. Motanyane said Lesotho Correctional Service recruits assaulted him upon their arrival in his cell during the so called general search, saying him and other cellmates ended up not being searched because they were assaulted.
He also said it is not true that LDF inmates do not respect offices in the facility and that they were denied to be searched, saying if that was true, it could have long been known.
The Commission of Inquiry is Chaired by Justice Realeboha Mathaba and is expected to finish its work within two months,
Ends