Maseru- More or less recruits are starting to open up and acknowledge assaulting inmates during the search exercise that was conducted at Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) on December 22, 2023.
This occurred after majority of those who testified earlier before the Commission of Inquiry on the escape of inmates, refused that they assaulted inmates during the search exercise.
One Correctional Officer, Malefane Sepiriti stated to the Commission in his evidence that he was thankful to Correctional Officer Makintane who had the audacity to reveal the truth before the Commission as everyone was fearful to do so.
“All recruits battered the inmates” he said, showing that about 15 recruits who gave evidence first, before the Commission, might have denied beating up the inmates as they did not have courage and were also frightened. He thanked an inmate by the name of Litekanyo Nyakane who warned the recruits to tell the truth before the Commission, while they still can.
Officer Sepiriti additionally revealed that though he sheltered some inmates when they were being assaulted, he did that indirectly as he knew it was a deadly sin to shield them directly. Nevertheless he acknowledged that he failed to fulfill his responsibility of protecting the inmates when they were being assaulted.
Meanwhile, the recruits are continuing to testify before the Commission and some still insist their superiors heard cries of inmates when they passed by to punishment cells in block C during the search.
On the other hand, Correctional Officer ‘Molaoa Mothabeng has finally acknowledged being one of the recruits who attacked inmates during the search exercise. Officer Mothabeng admitted before the Commission of Inquiry on the escape of inmates that he assaulted some inmates during the search exercise that was led at Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) on December 22, 2023 which resulted in the assault of inmates, leaving Tlotliso Bereng paralysed.
He was earlier associated by numerous inmates in their evidences before the Commission, although he refusedhitting them during cross examination. Mothabeng showedthat he searched Block B, C and maximum, disclosing thenames of inmates whom he searched and assaulted. “Some of those I reprimanded were the ones I knew as they were my students and I was just being playful with them by laying my hands on them,” he said.
Though he maintained that he did not beat Bereng up as he took nine seconds in his cell, saying he found him silentwith Officer Mokoloko and could not approve if the latter had already assaulted Bereng or not. Mothabeng addedpointing out that in the middle of the assault, inmates cried louder when they saw senior officers, saying he assumedit was their way of seeking help.
He concluded that he did not see anything wrong in beating up inmates based on how they survived at correctional service training school as it was rooted in them that recruits must be rough on inmates.
“I still had fear that this would bring terrible consequences” he said, adding that no one had expected there would be serious injuries when inmates were assaulted. Meanwhile the Commission’s Chairperson Justice Realeboha Mathaba said even though some recruits have decided to confess to assaulting inmates, they are still not braveenough to tell the Commission who precisely they saw assaulting inmates.
