A suspect
told a magistrate in Swaziland that inmates at the Sidwashini correctional
facility were ‘frequently assaulted’, a newspaper in the kingdom reported.
The Swazi
Observer reported (28 December 2017) the suspect
whom it only named as Masuku made a statement ahead of his trial. The newspaper
reported, ‘Court attendants listened in stunned silence as Masuku informed
Senior Magistrate Nonhlanhla Dlamini, that he had been severely assaulted by
warders at Sidwashini correctional facility.
‘He said
he suffered bruises on his body due to the heavy beating he was subjected to by
the officers.
‘“Your
Worship I have been assaulted by warders at Sidvwashini and I kindly seek your
intervention. Please assist me by asking them to take me to hospital. I
also seek assistance in reporting the officers who abused me to either the
police or the Human Rights Commission so that appropriate action can be taken
against them,” he said.’
The Observer said, ‘He singled out one
officer whom he said had made it clear that should he report the assault to the
magistrate, he would deal with him when he returned to the facility after the
court appearance.’
The
newspaper said one of the warders when questioned, ‘sarcastically told the
magistrate that Masuku should behave himself if he wanted to be treated well at
the facility’.
The
magistrate told the warders to take Masuku to hospital. Magistrate Dlamini
added, ‘I am also ordering you to stop threatening him by telling him that you
will sort him out if he informs the court that he has been beaten. That is
wrong.’’
The case
was adjourned to 5 January 2018.
Sidwashini
was in the news in December 2017 when untrained correctional facility officer
recruits were said to have been sent in to help quell a riot over lack of bread.
See also
SWAZI
JAIL RIOT OVER NO BREAD
PROBE INTO CORRUPTION AT SWAZI JAIL
PROBE
INTO ‘INHUMANE’ JAIL CONDITIONS
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