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Monday 17 July 2017

‘WOMEN’S JAIL BOOZE COVER-UP’



A newspaper in Swaziland is alleging there has been a cover-up at a women’s jail where a senior officer has been illegally supplying alcohol.

It has been going on at Sidwashini for at least a month the Sunday Observer reported (16 July 2017). It said it had been, ‘kept under wraps by high ranking officers within the correctional facility.’

Unnamed junior officers interviewed by the newspaper said the drinking had been discovered after, ‘the tell-tale stench of stale alcohol gave the prisoners away resulting in a search for the person who allegedly brought it in’.

The newspaper reported, ‘The handful of female prisoners who are remanded in custody while awaiting trial are said to have been thoroughly searched and threatened with assault.’ The inmates named a prisoner.

The newspaper reported, ‘The prisoners further pointed a finger at a high ranking female officer who they alleged was instrumental in breaching security and bringing in the prized alcohol.

‘“Following the discovery that alcohol was freely available, we assumed that something would be done, but we are shocked that this matter was swept under the carpet,” a junior officer said.

‘Further alleging that money could have exchanged hands thus enabling the liquor to be brought into the institution, the officer said they suspected that more could have been spread around for the matter to be silenced the way it had.’

The newspaper added, ‘Concerning the alleged boozing incident, the junior officer said it was easy to take in prohibited substances  as junior officers are usually stationed as gate keepers of the establishment.

‘“Would you thoroughly search your superior and question them on what they are taking in,” he asked rhetorically.’

The Sunday Observer reported, ‘the matter has been hushed so well that only junior officers are willing to talk about it, albeit in anonymity.

‘Several senior officers not connected to the alleged incident, but who were said to be privy to it, declined to comment stating that they would never talk about anything that would put their institution in bad light.’

See also

PROBE INTO ‘INHUMANE’ JAIL CONDITIONS

WARDERS DECRY MARRIED SEX IN PRISONS

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