Maseru, Aug.08 — A military detainee Lance Corporal Sebilo Sebilo, who is currently out on bail says the injuries he sustained after he was assaulted have negatively affected his employment duties.
This he said when testifying before the Commission of Inquiry on the escape of inmates, and he is one of the inmates who was severely assaulted by Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) recruits during the search exercise that was conducted at Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) on December 22, 2023.
He said he can no longer perform special force duties effectively especially those physical, saying this has affected him emotionally.
He indicated that he can no longer jump with the parachute, get off the chopper with ropes and march or join a parade, which are main activities within the special force.
” I am still going for physiotherapy as my ankle and hand are still swollen and painful’ he added.
Asked if it was true that he strangled one of the officers when he was assaulted to defend himself, Sebilo refuted the allegation, saying the circumstances as well as the induction they received upon arrival at the institution made them surrender when they were assaulted.
” Had we tried to defend ourselves, that would be considered as misconduct,” he stressed.
He further said what happened on December 22 was not a search as searches that had been conducted before were not the same as that one.
He said the then supervisor of the searches, whose name is Phosa, was civil, firm but not aggressive when conducting a search, adding that he would order them to take their belongings and raise their hands when being searched without insulting them.
Meanwhile Lance Corporal Sebilo handed over his health booklet, pictures which depicts whip marks and bruises as well as clothes which are muddy and have blood stains to the Commission as evidence.
He is due to be cross examined by Officers whom he implicated in his testimony.
Ends
