Oluno prisoners claim abuse

INMATES at the Oluno Rehabilitation Centre in Ondangwa have appealed to the Ministry of Prisons and Correctional Services to rescue them from warders they claim are abusing them.

But the deputy head of the Centre has dismissed the allegations. The inmates complained in a letter sent to The Namibian that prisoners were being beaten up with fists and kicked with boots by warders.The letter also claimed torture and corporal punishment.”Inmates are locked up in isolation after being beaten-up.These beatings are done with fists, boots, clubs and with whatever is available in the surrounding,” the letter alleges.The prisoners said they had brought their complaints to the attention of the Ombudsman.They also want the Minister of Prisons and Correctional Services to appoint an independent committee to look into paroles and remissions at the Oluno Rehabilitation Centre.But the Deputy Head of the centre Absalom Nghifitikeko dismissed the inmates’ claims as false.”We do not have any law that permits us to beat up inmates,” said Nghifitikeko.He said no formal complaint had been lodged with the authorities at the centre concerning the allegations.The inmates complained in a letter sent to The Namibian that prisoners were being beaten up with fists and kicked with boots by warders.The letter also claimed torture and corporal punishment.”Inmates are locked up in isolation after being beaten-up.These beatings are done with fists, boots, clubs and with whatever is available in the surrounding,” the letter alleges.The prisoners said they had brought their complaints to the attention of the Ombudsman.They also want the Minister of Prisons and Correctional Services to appoint an independent committee to look into paroles and remissions at the Oluno Rehabilitation Centre.But the Deputy Head of the centre Absalom Nghifitikeko dismissed the inmates’ claims as false.”We do not have any law that permits us to beat up inmates,” said Nghifitikeko.He said no formal complaint had been lodged with the authorities at the centre concerning the allegations.