Maseru-One, Captain Litekanyo Nyakane, a military detainee, whom majority of prisoners pointed out in their evidence before the Commission that he was brutallyassaulted by Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) Recruits, has finally testified.
Nyakane testified before the Commission of Inquiry on the escape of inmates, on how he was cruelly assaulted by LCS Recruits during the search exercise that was conducted at Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) on December 22 last year.
Relating the events of that day, he said most of the Recruits came to him as they come in his prison cell, insulting him and voicing words such as, “you soldiers think this is a hotel as you eat cereals and are allowed to go to funerals” he said.
He showed that they battered him with sticks until someone hit him with a heavy object towards the back of his head and fell down. Nyakane added that as he was laying down, they continuous assaulted him, raised him up and beating him severely, saying at this point he decidedto protect his vital parts of the body.
He said he did not know what happened from there until he found himself at the clinic located within the facility, specifying that he was later taken to Makoanyane hospital late in the afternoon hours and was seen by a doctor.
Meanwhile, Nyakane said officers who carried out the search exercise on escape of inmate could have waited a bit before conducting it as it was clear that they would still be angry at the immediate time.
He clarified that LCS management did not handle this issue well as it was aware that it did not have strength to conduct the search exercise and cell search at the same time.
“Superiors should not protect themselves with the juniors”, he said, making an illustration that from what he heard, LCS management is moving the blame on what happened during the search exercise to Chief Officer Ratšele who was leading the search team yet the recruits overpowered him.
In addition, Nyakane said the point that he keeps to discovering the names of people who battered him even though one Correctional Officer gave him a list of some, does not mean he is going to avenge or take legal action against them. He said he was once a recruit and knows how they are. “Recruits are still young, and they are not to blame as there are people who failed to do their job,” he stressed.
Therefore, he emphasised that LCS management should be responsible for the events of December 22, 2023 not the recruits. It was also reported that Nyakane and other military detainees were beaten as they were denied to be searched; however the latter disputed that on grounds that they were never searched but were only battered.
