‘I now have to use a catheter after the assault’
. . . ailing inmate says his illness was manageable before
’MATHATO SEBOKA
MASERU — Before a tense Commission of Inquiry, Patrick Khechane an inmate, took the stand, unveiling the grim reality of life inside the Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) following a brutal assault by prison recruits. His testimony, delivered with quiet strength, revealed how a once-manageable health condition had spiralled into a debilitating illness, leaving him reliant on a catheter after the violent beatings he suffered on December 22, 2023.
The Commission, chaired by High Court Judge Realeboha Mathaba, listened intently as Khechane recounted the traumatic events that forever altered his life. His voice, at times wavering, was filled with a mixture of pain and disbelief as he detailed how his condition deteriorated after the assault.“I was unwell but functional,” Khechane told the commission. “I played football, socialised, and lived among other inmates without much issue. It is shocking to hear officers claim that I was severely ill and received special treatment. The illness that now confines me to using a catheter only emerged on January 23, 2024, after the beatings.”
Inmates like Khechane often suffer in silence, their voices drowned out by a system that treats them as faceless numbers. But his testimony shattered that silence, revealing the daily struggles of life behind bars. He explained that despite being informed as far back as 2021 that he might one day require a catheter to assist with his urination problems, he had managed his condition with self-treatment for years. That all changed when the recruits arrived at the MCCI.
Khechane described how the violent assault accelerated his health problems. “For a long time, I found ways to treat myself, to live normally despite the issues I faced. But the assault pushed me beyond my limits. Now, I have to visit the hospital regularly to treat this illness. The officers are to blame for making my condition worse,” he said.
“Some officers have gone as far as to say that I was already using a catheter before their training. That is not true. My health booklet will show that this year is when I started using the catheter. The officers are trying to distort the truth, and the Commission must see through that,” Khechane said, calling for his medical records to be examined as part of the evidence. “I ask this Commission to ensure that my story is heard and that the truth is acknowledged,” Khechane said in his closing statement. “What happened to me should not happen to anyone else. The officers need to be held accountable for their actions.”
The Commission, tasked with uncovering the truth behind the assault of inmates at MCCI, heard more corroborating evidence from other witnesses.
One such witness, Sergeant Nkhapetla Nkhapetla of the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS), provided a chilling account of the violence that unfolded on that day. He testified earlier this month that recruits, armed with sticks, marched towards Block B under the leadership of Chief Officer Motanya. “I saw the recruits with sticks, and it was clear that they were there for more than just a search,” Nkhapetla testified. “They had sticks that were supposedly taken away from them before, but somehow they got them back. I did not know where the sticks came from this time around, but it was clear something violent was about to happen.”
Nkhapetla, aware of the recruits’ aggressive demeanour, immediately thought of Khechane. He remembered that Khechane had been ill, suffering from urinary incontinence, and feared that the inmate might not survive the brutal force being unleashed. “I went straight to Khechane’s cell to protect him. I told one of the recruits that Khechane was ill and that they needed to handle him with care. But seeing how they were conducting the search, I did not feel comfortable staying, so I left,” Nkhapetla said.
The brutal actions of the recruits led to Khechane’s worsening condition. The Commission is investigating other tragic outcomes of the assault, including one inmate who is now wheelchair-bound and another who died from the injuries inflicted during the same raid.
