Inmates run riot at the Katutura Police Station

BLOCKED toilets yesterday led to a mini-riot at the Katutura Police Station, with inmates setting light to rubbish bins and throwing sewage water at Police officers to draw attention to their conditions.

The trial-awaiting prisoners also threw water from their cells onto the floor of the station’s charge office, resulting in wet floors all the way to the outside of the station.At one point, Police reinforcements were forced to use Police shields to push back prisoners who attempted to block Police from entering their quarters.Control was returned to the scene after Khomas Regional Commander Samuel //Hoebeb met with the prisoners to hear them out.One prisoner who spoke to The Namibian whilst assisting cleaners in mopping the station floor, said the prisoners acted as they did to draw the attention of senior officers to their conditions.’Tell them to show you what it looks like inside. They won’t. That’s why we threw the water out here so people can see,’ the inmate said.Asked for the Police’s account of the events, //Hoebeb told the newspaper that prisoners told him the same thing.’I was on my way to lunch when I received a call that the Police cells at Katutura were on fire, and I rushed there,’ //Hoebeb said.When he arrived at the scene however, the commander said he found the prisoners had set alight a number of yellow refuse containers situated inside their containment area.Once Police infiltrated the area, all the prisoners were moved from their cells to an open area still inside their containment area, where they were addressed by the regional commander.’When questioned, they said they wanted to draw the attention of senior officers. But I must say I struggled to get them under control so we could talk,’ //Hoebeb said.He said members of the Police’s Works and Estate division have since moved in to attend to the problem of the blocked toilets.Prisoners were scheduled to be moved out to various neighbouring stations for the night last night, as repairs were to be made.The regional commander added that the cause of the blocked toilets was to be investigated, as prisoners have apparently been known to block toilets themselves with everything from papers to pieces of blanket.’You’ll even see them place coins in the door to try and keep Police from locking them,’ //Hoebeb said.’I told them, as human beings they must co-operate when requested. Things here are done with a purpose. The Police are not here to commit malpractice. We know that one day its you, the next it could be me. And they listened. They promised to co-operate,’ //Hoebeb said.