Cops to probe Kgosi jail torture claims
20 November 2015 at
16:06pm
By: Nomaswazi Nkosi
Credit: EPA
The Kgosi Mampuru II
Correctional Centre could face a police probe after allegations of torture of
prisoners. File photo: Kevin Sutherland
Pretoria - The Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre could be
facing a police investigation into allegations of severe assault and torture of
prisoners.
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) has called for the investigation
after sending the station commander of the Pretoria Central police station a
letter detailing incidents of abuse against 16 inmates at the hands of
Correctional Services officials who apparently call themselves Boko Haram.
“Some of these inmates are witnesses to the alleged murder of
another inmate by Correctional officials,” the LHR statement read.
The inmate who died last July was Ricky Mokoena (56). He was
allegedly assaulted by the warders in the prison. He was detained in the jail’s
G1 Section 11 and was serving a murder sentence at the time of his death.
Clare Ballards, an attorney working for LHR, said in a previous
interview with the Pretoria News, that Mokoena’s murder case was at trial stage
and that four inmates who witnessed the incident had been victimised by some
warders in prison.
They said their penal reform programme was prompted to call for
the investigation after receiving an increasing number of complaints of assault
of prisoners. “It appears that the alleged incidents of assault have, for the
most part, occurred during purported search and seizure operations”.
“LHR will now give police an opportunity to investigate the
allegations and monitor progress.”
Ballards said LHR had received eight letters from inmates
complaining about their treatment.
Other prisoners detailed their severe assault in a letter.
According to the letter, which the Pretoria News has seen, some
offenders had suffered brain damage and kidney problems due to the repeated
abuse by “Boko Haram”.
Gauteng Correctional Services spokesman Ofentse Morwane said the
department viewed the assault and torture allegations in a serious light.
nomaswazi.nkosi@inl.co.za
Pretoria News
