Read the workplace scenario below and answer the questions that follow.
The Office of the Ombudsman received 579 complaints of alleged police brutality from inmates and
members of the public between 2021 and 2022. The spokesperson of the Office of the Ombudsman,
Aurelia David, told The Namibian in a meeting recently that the Namibian Correctional Service has 269
cases of alleged police brutality. "Most complaints from the correctional services are from inmates
and a few are from friends and family of the inmates," she said. David, looking down and in a low
voice said the cases they receive are mainly about the conditions of inmates regularly, mostly
concerning inmates not being taken for medical care timely. "The human right every Namibian is
entitled to" she said to herself sighing.
"A lack of blankets, assault by police officers, insufficient food, the general condition of holding cells
such as broken toilets, water leakages, and the use of Afrikaans to those who can not understand th
elanguage etc" she said are some of the complaints they have. "Police brutality is not only a threat to
the safety of inmates, but a violation of their right to safety and protection, which they are entitled
to, despite being incarcerated" added David with raised voice.
Recently, a 44-year-old inmate at the Maltahohe police station in Hardap was bitten by a black-necked
cobra on his left arm, while allegedly awaiting trial. According to the police weekly crime report, it is
unknown how the snake entered the police cell. The inmate was transferred to the Mariental State
Hospital and later to the Katutura State Hospital, and is in a stable condition. Police inspector general
JosephShikongo said he will be in a better position to comment if all the casesinvolving police brutality
are compiled and sent to his office.
"For me to talk about these cases without really having reflection on them I might not do justice to
that. My office doors are open and I am personally ready to get into those cases and provide feedback
on their status," Shikongo said. Correctional service commissioner general Raphael Hamunyela also
said he cannot make general statements on the matter. "I would like to get the data on some of these
cases, then we can give you information on them," he said. He added that if he could get the
document on the cases reported to the Office of the Ombudsman regarding police brutality, he would
then be able to respond to the allegations.
Earlier this week, a local publication published a report on three French speaking men in the Windhoek
Central Prison demanding N$1,5 million each for alleged assault and torture by 20 members of the
Namibian Correctional Service. They further pledged their case to the French embassy to receive
adequate attention.
Between 2020 and 2021, the police registered 248 civil cases of police brutality. Last month,
Keetmanshoop community members in the //Kharas region marched to protest against police
brutality following the death of Elleste Plaatjies {31) on 18 January after members of the Namibian
Police's Special Reserve Force reportedly fatally assaulted him. The ombudsman's office on its
Facebook page also said it recorded a total of 598 complaints against the Namibian Police .in 2020,
making the Namibian Police the institution most complained about in the country. Community
members in different parts of the country have also been protesting against police brutality for years.
https://namibian.com.na/ombudsman-records-579-cases-against-police/
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