Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) are reportedly using public transport to ferry inmates from Mutimurefu prison to Masvingo Magistrate’s and High courts due to persistent breakdown of ZPCS security vehicles.
ZPCS Masvingo province has just one security truck that has
been down with mechanical faults for over a month.
This has left authorities at Mutimurefu with no choice but
to resort to public transport and use of some vehicles owned by ZPCS officers.
Contacted for comment, ZPCS Masvingo Public Relations
Officer, Assistant Principal Correctional Officer Stanslous Sanike declined to
comment and referred all questions to the national spokesperson.
“I cannot comment on that for now, its best that you get in
touch with the national spokesperson as he is the one who can give you a
response pertaining to that,” said Sanike.
Mutimurefu, which has a holding capacity of 800 inmates is
reportedly overwhelmed and is failing to make it possible for inmates to be
arraigned before the courts.
Sanike however said he could not reveal the number of
inmates at Mutimurefu prison that he said was in violation of their
constitution.
“We are not allowed to disclose the number of inmates in
jail, and that is according to our constitution. So I cannot give you the
number of inmates at the facility,” said Sanike.
ZPCS national spokesperson, Superintendent Meya Khanyenzi
was recently quoted in the press saying they had few trucks that are grounded
and that they are in dire need of more trucks.
“We do not have enough vehicles to ferry inmates to and
from court. Most of the vehicles are down and parked at our workshops
countrywide. The current fleet is obsolete and we need more vehicles. For us to
function properly, we require 45 more security trucks,” said Supt Khanyenzi.
ZPCS has 46 facilities spread across the country but only
11 vehicles are servicing all, one vehicle per province while Harare has two
servicing six prisons. TellZimNews
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