Maseru, May 24 — As he entered an interrogation room limping, Seboka Motumi whose feet were both bandaged, said he does not mind giving a testimony in front of television and cameras.
Seboka Motumi is one of the inmates who escaped from Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) on December 21 last year and was shot by some Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) Officers when re-capturing him.
When testifying before the Commission Of Inquiry on how he was injured, he indicated that officers are-captured him at Ramabanta, ha Mants’a with the assistance of villagers, saying he fell in the donger filled with water immediately after he was shot by one officer and another shot him on the right ankle while still in water while others started whipping him.
However he said he did not see the faces of officers who shot him as they were covered with scarfs, saying he only identified one officer whom he knew.
He further said his face was blinded with blood and found himself in hospital thereafter and he was unconscious, saying he was then carried into the vehicle to MCCI where he also sustained further injuries as and was assaulted by other officers.
” I was taken to maximum prison upon arrival at the institution and officers poked me on the chest altering words that they could have killed as they almost lost their jobs ” he said.
He added that he was then taken to Queen Mamohato Memorial hospital after one inmate who assists at the clinic requested that as his body was full of worms to the extent that fellow inmates were disgusted and did not want to be near him.
He said he was admitted at the hospital until February and was told he lost a lot of blood and that his body was bruised.
He further said when released, nurses clarified that he should be taken for x-ray and physiotherapy but was only taken for the latter for removal of cement on the feet.
” I have never been taken to the above, even the check up , I only went to the hospital a day ago, I had a problem with my tooth” he stressed.
Meanwhile some of the Officers who were at the search party for Motumi were given an opportunity to ask him questions.
In addition, the Commission Chairperson Justice Realeboha Mathaba instructed that Motumi should not testify before the Commission on what happened or how he escaped as he has already been charged by the Magistrate Court.
Ends
