Francistown — Due to the ever-increasing crime in the country, the overcrowded situation in the northern prisons has not eased.

In an interview the Prisons Divisional Commander, northern region, assistant commissioner, Obusitswe Ntsima said the department is planning to do something about the situation but is still not certain what it would be.

"There are many developments that are carried out by the government and certainly there are no immediate plans to build another prison. Remember that another prison will not help the situation. The department has plans to deal with the matter from the roots, in partnership with other stakeholders."

She asserted that their good working relations with the inmates has helped calm the situation of infighting between citizens and non-citizens' convicts.

Ntsima said that they had to please the inmates so that they can be free to air their grievances and in that manner give more attention in an endeavour to rehabilitate them.

"To counsel and give attention to a prisoner is more important in calming tempers. If you work with people you have to be tolerant and empathetic and if you do not listen to their grievances, infighting is bound to happen," she explained.

The Francistown prison was previously a scene of bloody fights that resulted in the deaths of some inmates, from neighbouring Zimbabwe and a local.

She further explained that despite the overcrowding, they have never experienced any serious outbreaks of communicable diseases in this era of HIV/AIDS. She further explained that airborne and waterborne diseases were not a problem at the state prison.

"Even though overcrowding is rife our standards here are very good in terms of cleanliness.

We strive hard to control such situations and we isolate prisoners who have tuberculosis to avoid it spreading in the cells. Generally, we have never experienced anything serious," Ntsima said.

She also indicated that one cannot mention overcrowding of the prisons without mentioning the courts, from where all these people are being remanded continuously.

"There is no way we can refuse the admission of prisoners if the courts see it fit to send them here. What you have to ask yourself is what are the courts planning to do to bring the situation under control?" she said.