14 Feb 2022

Those who go to check on their loved ones or friends that are in prison have been warned against bringing cigarettes for inmates, as smoking was prohibited at the facilities.

Officer in charge for Francistown Prison, Senior Superintendent Moagile Lekene recently told a meeting with Tutume village leadership that the moment a person is sentenced to prison, they cease to enjoy certain liberties; and that includes smoking.

He said smoking was prohibited at their facilities, but regretted that some of the banned items found  their way into prison cells.

He stated that during inspections they find convicts with such dangerous items as knives, screw drivers as well as cigarettes.

The contraband, he said, are smuggled into prison by visitors, with some disguised as toiletry for the inmates.

Supt. Lekene highlighted that some are brought in by unsuspecting elderly people, who are ‘used’ by either siblings or friends of inmates, who believe that the elderly will not be suspected of anything bad.

The officer in charge said there were instances where body creams and Bibles were used to smuggle such items as cell phones and cigarettes.

Supt. Lekene has therefore cautioned people against smuggling contraband into prison as they risk being arrested and charged. He also lamented the increasing number of Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases, saying the bulk of the perpetrators were men.

He therefore called on village elders to cultivate mindset change through constant sensitisation of communities on such issues. ENDs