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Botswana: Officials Deny Abuse of Prisoners
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
11 April 2008
Posted to the web 14 April 2008
Gale Ngakane
Francistown
The man at the centre of a robbery case in Francistown, Caiphus Atlholang has accused prison authorities of physical abuse.
He was convicted on Tuesday of robbing a security van of more than P100, 000 with others. He is expected to be sentenced today.
During the trial, the athletically-built Atlholang said he was not at the scene of the crime on the Orapa-Francistown Road. Acting Chief Magistrate, Lorraine Makati-Lesang, unmasked him in the judgement she read over two days early this week, arguing that both the accomplice witness and others positively identified him as the culprit.
She said because the robbery happened 'in broad daylight with good visibility', the witnesses indeed positively identified him.
Atlholang has been languishing in jail since 2006 when investigations into the case began and he has been commuting between the court and prison since then.
In between the judgement, Atlholang whispered: "They take you and beat you up for no apparent reason. If you speak up about something, they take you aside and tell you that you think you are clever, and then they beat you up," alleges Atlholang.
Atlholang says the warders aim for the buttocks and feet because they do not want to beat you where it would be obvious.
"Once they are through with you, they use hot water to massage you until the swelling subsides. Then they take you to the hospital where they claim that you slipped and fell," alleges Atlholang.
He claims that the prisoners are often forced to eat unhealthy food. "If you complain about the food they take you to the doctor, but it takes a long time. In the meantime what are you eating?" he asks.
The prison authorities say it is news to them that prisoners are physically abused by prison warders. In a telephone interview, Divisional Commander Assistant Commissioner, Rebaone Mmese said he did an inspection of the Francistown Prison from 28 to 31January and no one raised the issue with him.
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"I spoke to them as a group and individually, and not one of them said anything about being abused," Mmese said.
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