18 Sep 2024

Outgoing offenders have been urged to take advantage of government empowerment programmes upon their release from prison custody. 

Botswana Prisons Service Divisional Commander-South, Senior Assistant Commissioner Shathani Thani said this in Gaborone on Tuesday during the pre-counseling session, organised for offenders who are nearing the end of their incarnation.

He said government came up with various economic empowerment programmes such as Chema-Chema, Temo Letlotlo and Thuo Letlotlo, which presented opportunities for the former convicts to uplift their lives.

“The road ahead is not simple, the road ahead may be challenging, but it has opportunities,” said Mr Thani.

He said upon release, the convicts should be desirous to improve their lives hence they ought to stand and strive for personal growth.

Mr Thani encouraged them to learn from their past mistakes, focus on personal growth and look for opportunities and skills to improve their lives. 

He urged them to build a support network of those who would support their reintegration process.

  Mr Thani encouraged them to accept that during their incarceration, there had been change to lives and some relationships they used to have.

He cautioned that reintegration into the community was not going to be an easy process.

“Not all will easily welcome you, we talked to the victims to accept you back but we want you also to show change,” he said, and further encouraged them to embrace mindset change.

 Officer in Charge of Boys Prison, Senior Superintendent Oganeditse Tlhako said the aim of pre-release counselling was to prepare offenders for the life that  awaits them in the community.

 He said being away from the community for a long time comes with a lot of challenges, hence the need for counselling prior to reintegration.

The Nkoyaphiri reintegration committee chairperson, Kgosi Keotshephile Motlhabane cautioned that as they were being released back into the community, not everyone would accept them as some would subject them to offensive words and treatment.

As such, he said it was upon the convicts to know how best to react to unpalatable remarks.

The three days Botswana Prison Service prerelease counselling included ready to release offenders from various prisons stations such as Kanye, Molepolole, Gantsi, Mochudi and Lobatse. Ends