Maseru, Sept. 04 — One of the soldier inmates, Captain Litekanyo Nyakane has warned the Commission that they received threats from one of Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) Officers.
He told the Commission of Inquiry on the escape of inmates that on Monday night around 20:00 p.m, they heard one officer speaking near their prison cell, expressing dissatisfaction regarding inmates testimonies before the Commission.
He said although they could not recognize the voice of that officer, he coded him saying ” You are testifying before the Commission falsely implicating us that we assaulted you, with the hope that you will be released from prison and that will never happen” he said.
He indicated that the officer continued to insult them after uttering the above-mentioned words, saying this did not sit well with fellow cellmates as they believed he was directly talking to them.
“When I was told that the Commission wants to see me, my cellmates requested me not to forget this issue as we now fear for our lives”, he said.
One of the Commissioners, Mr. Mojalefa Thulo, said it is easy to investigate this matter as LCS officers work on shifts.
On the other hand, the Commission’s Chairperson Justice Realeboha Mathaba said they have noted this matter as they clarified from the beginning that anyone who testifies before the Commission should not be threatened.
Meanwhile Captain Nyakane and other inmates have already testified before the Commission on the search exercise that was conducted at Maseru Central Correctional Institution on December 22, 2023 ,which resulted in the assault of inmates, leaving one, Tlotliso Bereng paralysed.
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