Rundu Prison inmate claims he was unattended and handcuffed to bed for days at state hospital

Rundu Prison inmate Frans Kudumo (63) says he was handcuffed to a bed at Rundu State Hospital in the Kavango East region without police supervision from Monday to Wednesday last week.

This came after Kudumo complained he was feeling sick after being attacked by other prisoners.

“My clothes were torn during the fight,” he said last Wednesday, adding he was hit so hard he vomited.

“I was not aware what I had done wrong, I just saw myself falling.

I was attacked by inmates without reason, brought to the hospital on Monday and handcuffed until today [Wednesday],” he said.

Kudumo said a police officer only showed up on the Tuesday.

“I didn’t go to the toilet and I could not eat because I cannot help myself while I am handcuffed to the bed,” he said.

Kudumo said he could not take medication, because he had not eaten in a while.

Rundu Police Station commander Lucia Muranda says a police officer was appointed to guard the inmate.

“When inmates are sick, we handcuff them and take them to the hospital for treatment,” she says.

Muranda says inmates are guarded at the hospital 24 hours a day in shifts.

“I just got the information now, therefore I am not in the position to say for how long the police officer left him unattended,” she said last week.

Muranda said Kudumo was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday.