Alleged threats by a high-ranking officer at Maseru Central Correctional Institution to inmates testifying before the ongoing Commission of Inquiry need to be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. They are disturbing and totally unacceptable in a democratic society such as ours.
We would like to see the responsible authorities taking drastic action against the said officer. He is not above the law. This will go a long way to show that the government is really serious about promoting and protecting human rights for all, and that includes convicts and those in remand prison.
Correctional centres are there to rehabilitate inmates and not to traumatise them. We encourage the inmates testifying before the commission to speak out without fear of victimisation by the officers accused of torture.
The senior officer’s unwarranted remarks follow the appointment of a commission to investigate claims of inmates’ torture at the centre during a search operation on December 22, 2023.
His threats, if indeed true, come shortly after a report revealed that state security agencies are among the government institutions most notorious for reluctance to implement recommendations by the Ombudsman’s office to address abuses against innocent citizens.
This big-headedness by government institutions grossly violates victims’ rights and shows lack of commitment to protect and promote such rights.
The Ombudsman’s office has over the years issued numerous recommendations to address human rights violations by security agencies, but authorities failed to act on them, raising serious concerns about lack of accountability.
Victims of alleged abuses by the Lesotho Defence Force, Lesotho Mounted Police Service, and the Lesotho Correctional Service are still awaiting justice.
This is grossly unfair and outside the law. It should be allowed to continue a day longer.
