Maseru, May 29 — Members of the Lesotho Defence Force inmates were denied talking to their visitors for some days after they were assaulted.
This, was disclosed by one of the army inmates Mr. Malefane Heqoa when testifying before the Commission Of Inquiry on the general search exercise that was undertaken at Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) on December 22 last year which resulted in assault of inmates, leaving one paralysed.
Mr. Heqoa said he was denied talking to his wife when he visited him at MCCI on December 24 and the latter was even expelled because he disobeyed the rule of not talking to visitors, saying he was only given 10 seconds to talk to her the following day when she returned.
He indicated that when she came again on December 26, he was told he was free to talk to the wife but warned that he must not talk about what happened in the facility during the search exercise.
He further indicated that army inmates are treated differently from other inmates when it comes to visitors because when they arrived at the facility in November 2017, they were instructed to make a list of 10 visitors whom they would like to pay them a visit but other inmates were allowed to see their visitors without any list prepared.
“A visitor who was not on that list was returned” he said, adding that it stopped due to COVID-19 because all inmates were allowed to see one visitor per week and that everyone was allowed to see their visitors after the disease came under control.
He also indicated that during the visits, there was always a correctional officer who would stand near them listening and writing down what they were saying with their visitors on the note book also in the presence of a soldier.
“We were served by the same people and had to queue” he said, indicating that recently the conversation is no longer recorded but their visitors see them from one point in the room except in summer when they see them outside like other inmates.
Meanwhile, earlier when also testifying before the Commission, another army inmate Marasi ‘Moleli indicated that he was denied talking to his visitors after the assault and that he was even denied talking to his children who came to see him at the facility on Christmas day.
The Commission, which is Chaired by Justice Realeboha Mathaba shall amongst others, investigate on the instances around operations undertaken by members of staff of LCS after the escape of inmates as well as to investigate and determine the circumstances that led to the use of force during the search operation.
Ends
