Maseru-The Officer Commanding Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) Assistant Commissioner Tsoto Manaka says numerous people dislike him and have falsely incriminated him before the Commission of Inquiry on the escape of inmates.
Asst. Comm Manaka said this when giving evidencebefore the Commission on number of issues mainly the events of December 22, 2023 whereby a number ofwitnesses told the Commission that him and other two senior officers saw and heard the cries of inmates when they were being beaten by the recruits during the search exercise that was conducted at the institution.
He related that an inmate by the name of Sekantši earlier told the commission that he was not fit to command the institution and assumed that he was a thief. Manaka added that other officers including some of the recruits suspected that they saw and heard inmates crying when they were being assaulted by the recruits as they passed by in block C to punishment cells during the search.
Manaka further said that one more officer alleged that he did not stop the Christmas party which was scheduled to take place at the institution, yet he did as the inmates had fled the previous day and officers were busy re-capturing the escaped inmates. He therefore said all these issues prove that people have been gunning for his head.
“It could be that I was accidentally placed because since I headed the institution, there have been so many issues raised against me,” he stated. Inquired to shed light onwhat he meant by this, he continued that he was once falsely implicated as some people claimed he was responsible for soldiers who left the institution and were in charge of towers in central and new block.
He added that he once had a misapprehension with Lesotho Correctional Service Commissioner over an inmate by the name of Mosoeunyane, saying it took him a long time to recognize things were not good between him and the Commissioner as the latter even accused him of being a rebel. “Personally, I have a doubt that the escape of inmates was arranged” he stressed, saying he had heard lately that one of the Deputy Commissioners alleged that he has abandoned and left Correctional Officers in the hands of the commission.
“I believe it is because I recognized people who assaulted the late Bokang Tsoako on the footage” he added. On the other hand, the Officer Commanding Correctional Staff Training School, Assistant Commissioner Nthako, who testified first regarding the alleged cries of inmates told the Commission that he picked during his presence at MCCI to attend the Commission’s proceedings that some Officers dislike Ass. Comm. Manaka and his Deputy, based on how they salute them.
He also explained before the commission that they were falsely implicated regarding the cries of inmates and Asst. Comm. Manaka also repeated that. Meanwhile, MCCI second in charge Senior Superintendent Mahlelebe is due to testify on this matter as well.
