POLOKWANE – An inmate from the Polokwane Correctional Services this week claimed that a number of inmates had been assaulted at the facility last week.
The man, who contacted Review, claimed the assault occurred on 1 April.
They wanted to lay assault charges, but were kept from doing so by prison authorities, the man said. He said that one of the men was still in hospital by Sunday.
The man furthermore claimed that the inmates had been offered bribe money in exchange for their silence on the matter. It was at this point, he said, that they decided to contact the media instead.
Provincial Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe referred Review to Correctional Services Spokesperson, Zandile Mabunda, who said she would follow up. By Monday, Review was referred to the Area Commissioner, Lydia Mamabolo who is investigating the matter.
Tshidi Mapole, Regional Communications Manager for the Department of Correctional Services in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West region later the day said she had no prior knowledge of the incident, and was awaiting a report from the area commissioner.
According to Mapole the head of an institution is, according to procedures, supposed to engage with inmates every morning to hear if everything is fine with them and report problems.
Later on Monday, she shed light on the matter.
“A security search operation was conducted in Polokwane Correctional Centre on Wednesday, 1 April 2020, as a standard procedure. Three offenders reported to have been assaulted on the same date and were referred for medical attention on the same day and received medical treatment. SAPS was contacted on Friday, 3 April 2020 following a request by the three offenders to open a criminal case and complainants were notified accordingly. The inmates provided statements to SAPS on Sunday, 5 April 2020 and the department is currently waiting for the case numbers.”
According to Mapole, the department is also investigating the matter.
