The Prisoner’s Plight

I WOULD like to comment on the speech of Minister Nickey Iyambo on February 11 2010 when he was addressing the police and the prison officers. The Minister said ten (10) cellphones were found in one cell at the Windhoek Central Prison.

I like the question of the Minister who asked how they come into the cells. The blame has been put on our poor families. Our families are blamed for a thing which they don’t do at all. When our families visit they are searched at the main entrance gate the middle gate and at the point of the visit. Our families are not stupid to put themselves in trouble and their personal phones are kept at main gate and they don’t enter prison with their private cellphones. Our families have been stopped from bringing us toiletries, newspapers and even our study materials are not allowed to come in. But still cellphones and drugs are found in prison cells.
Minister I want to answer your question how they come in? Corrupt members are the ones who bring in these cellphones and drugs for inmates for money because they say they are paid peanuts and they are not paid overtime. Unhappiness and bad treatment at work and tribalism. Minister I hope I answered your question.
And for your information there are members who are suspended for these cellphones and drugs. Please stop blaming our families, clean first your house before your point finger to our families. Let the security do its work and allow our families to bring us toiletries as it is our right to be supported by our families and it is also part of rehabilitation.

Concerned Inmate
Note: Name provided - Ed

---