153 inmates hospitalised

’MATHATO SEBOKA

MASERU – A staggering 153 inmates at the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) were had to be attended to by doctors after the December 22, 2023 assault. Senior Assistant Commissioner (SAC) Phoka Scout made the startling revelations this week at the ongoing commission of inquiry probing events of the fateful day. The Commission is led by High Court Judge Realeboha Mathaba.

Scout, who is the Head of the Health Department at LCS, explained that these inmates included those who were attended to by external doctors. The Commission, sitting at the Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) premises, is investigating the incidents that led to six inmates escaping from the prison facility on December 21, 2023.

One inmate lost his life, while another suffered two-leg fractures during the recapture process. Additionally, the other inmates who did not escape were subjected to assault by prison officials the following day.

“According to the report I received, 10 of those inmates were transferred immediately on the same day,” Scout told the Commission.

He added: “I only made a follow-up after I previously knew that inmates who were assaulted were soldier inmates, four of which I saw. My assumption was that there were only four, but I attended the internal commission and learned that there were more. I followed up with the clinic staff, and they gave me 153.”

The plight of these inmates did not end with their initial treatment. Some were taken to Tšepong Hospital, only to find that the necessary scans and treatments were unavailable, which forced them to seek help from private hospitals at their own expense.

“Once someone is incarcerated, they become the state’s responsibility,” Scout stated. “LCS, being a department of the government of Lesotho, often cannot afford to pay for private services, which usually require cash on delivery, which we do not have.”

The health budget for LCS is perennially insufficient to provide comprehensive care for inmates and staff. “The only thing we are to pay using cash is buying medication for inmates,” Scout noted. The case of Bokang Tsoako exemplifies the grim reality within the walls of LCS.

On the day of Tsoako’s recapture, Scout told the Commission that he had a brief discussion with him when he was brought back to the prison facility.

“I got into the Sergeant’s office and I had a moment with him, and we talked. I found him seated against the wall, in an enclosed space in that office. He did not have visible injuries but he was breathing heavily like someone who was running. Apart from, that he was speaking,” Scout recounted. Despite his initial calm demeanour, Tsoako’s condition soon became a concern.

“When I left the office, I headed to the station commander’s office. I found him and his second in charge, and I alerted them that it was not safe to have an inmate kept in that office with no senior officer guarding him. I told them we would get in trouble if that inmate is kept there,” said Scout.

No standard written procedure is followed for recaptured inmates, leading to chaotic and sometimes brutal outcomes. Upon returning to the sergeant’s office, Scout found Tsoako bleeding from his leg.

“He had a small wound that looked like he had been shot or pricked by a nail, it was a small wound; he was not in pain, but he looked tired. He asked for water and I then asked for a nurse. Chief Officer Putsoane came and observed him and he then advised that the inmate be taken to the hospital,” Scout recalled. The night of the escape that led to Tsoako’s recapture was filled with tension and violence.

Nthunya Nthunya, a 22-year-old inmate in maximum cell 23, recounted the harrowing events. Accused of housebreaking and sentenced to four years, Nthunya had only been at MCCI for two days when six inmates escaped.

“At around 19:30, an inmate called Tumelo (surname unknown) appeared with an iron rod from the toilet in our cell. Around 20:40, before the lights were turned off, he climbed a 20-litre bucket and started to break an airbrick.

“I asked what he was doing. He got down and started to insult me, and then he came down. I then kept quiet. He got back up and started breaking again. It took about 30 minutes to break the airbrick,” Nthunya explained.

As Tumelo and the other escapees fled, Nthunya and the remaining inmates faced immediate suspicion and violence. “I told ’Ngoae (another inmate, surname also unknown) to knock on the door to alert officers. The officer then peeked through the window using a torch to see where they got out from. After two to three minutes, more officers came to check where inmates fled from. They then entered our cell and asked us where they got out from,” Nthunya said.

The retribution was swift and severe. “At around 23:30, the officers arrived and beat me; they asked why I did not escape. I then told them that those inmates said they would kill me in there. They then beat us and closed the cell door,” Nthunya recounted.

The following day, new recruits conducted a search, and Nthunya was one of the inmates assaulted. “I only managed to identify Officer Sepiriti Malefane assaulting me with a fighting stick because we reside in the same village. “I was not able to recognise other recruits because I had just arrived at the institution,” Nthunya said.

Alcohol consumption among officers on duty compounded the chaos. “When officers came to our cell to ask us questions about the escape of our cellmates, we could smell alcohol on their breath,” Nthunya revealed. Ultimately, he did not receive medical treatment as the clinic prioritised inmates with open wounds.

This neglect and violence highlight systemic issues within LCS, where inadequate resources, lack of procedures, and officer misconduct exacerbate the plight of inmates.

The unfolding events of December 22, 2023, continue to serve as a grim reminder of the urgent need for reform and accountability within the LCS.

After their escape from prison on the night of December 21, 2023, all six inmates were subsequently apprehended at various times and locations.

Other members of the Commission include lawyer and diplomat, King’s Counsel (KC) Kelebone Maope, and retired LCS Commissioner Mojalefa Thulo.