20 May 2025

Botswana Prisons Service (BPS) Commissioner, Mr Anthony Mokento, says Botswana’s prisons are congested.

Giving a report before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday, Mr Mokento said the holding capacity of Botswana prisons is 4 337 and currently there are 4 341 prisoners. 

With this overcrowding, Mr Mokento said, they face challenges of having to contain and provide for the number above capacity and capabilities, as their 2 394 manpower is overstretched. 

He said the overcrowded facilities include high security prisons which are Central, First Offenders, Francistown, and Mahalapye Prisons.

Mr Mokento said they have had security breach in their prisons leading to four prisoners escaping  from custody in the year 2024/2025.

“Security breaches in prison refer to the smuggling of prohibited items such as cell phones, SIM cards, drugs, offensive objects, and other artefacts not issued to prisoners.  The absence of contraband items would indicate a strong and effective security system, while their presence would indicate vulnerabilities in prison security,” he said.

Mr Mokento said the inflow of contraband continued to present a major security challenge in prisons, with frequent discovery of items like tobacco, dagga, mobile phones, and sim cards threatening safety, discipline, and rehabilitation process within prisons. 

To improve performance, he said, the deployment of officers would be adjusted to ensure better performance, and search machines would also be upgraded to strengthen detection at entry points

Meanwhile, Mr Mokento said prisoners were not tested for HIV as it was their freedom and right to choose. However, he said, they are counselled and advised to test and they often do it voluntarily. 

“Healthcare remains a priority within the BPS, recognizing that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental human right for all individuals, including those incarcerated,” he stated.

He said the prisons service ensured that every prison has access to healthcare services, allowing for proactive care and addressing the health needs of prisoners. ENDS