Crisis in Botswana’s Prisons

Three Botswana Prison Service officers are currently on interdiction pending investigations into alleged criminal offences committed inside the prison.According to a written response to this publication, the officers have been reported to the police, and internal measures have been taken to reinforce accountability within correctional centres. This comes at a time when mounting concerns about the state of prisons are drawing national attention.Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Nelson Ramaotwana, admitted before Ntlo ya Dikgosi that the situation inside prisons is deeply troubling, pointing to issues such as overcrowding and illegal drug access. He attributed some of these problems to possible collusion by prison staff. Ramaotwana’s admission followed a complaint raised by the Paramount Chief of Bangwato, Kgosi Khama IV, who cited a letter from former Permanent Secretary to the President, Carter Morupisi, that described Botswana’s correctional facilities as being in an alarming state, prompting the Minister to urge the House to assign a delegation to independently assess prison conditions. When he appeared before the 61st Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Commissioner of Prisons, Anthony Mokento, painted an equally grim picture. He disclosed that contraband smuggling, especially of mobile phones, is a persistent problem.“There are 1,600 cellphones yet to be disposed of, all retrieved during our daily searches,” he said. He added that some of the confiscated phones were traced to senior officers suspected of smuggling them for inmates.“We previously discovered cellphones that linked some senior officers to them,” Mokento revealed, suggesting that misconduct is not limited to junior staff. The presence of cellphones in prison is not just a security breach; it has had real consequences.The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has previously shared video evidence of inmates confessing to their involvement in scams carried out through these phones, targeting members of the public. Mokento also spoke of overcrowding as a critical issue, saying that many facilities have exceeded their capacity.The Maximum Security Prison, built for 112 inmates, is now housing 311. Similarly, the First Offenders Prison holds nearly double its intended population, with 334 inmates in a space meant for 170. Staff dissatisfaction is also growing within the service. According to Mokento, the distribution of special duty allowances has caused frustration. While junior officers are often tasked with escorting inmates to courts and clinics, the allowances are reserved for officers ranked Senior Superintendent and above.The PAC has since directed Mokento to lobby for a review that could include junior officers in the scheme. Responding to these challenges, the Botswana Prison Service said it is ramping up internal surveillance and mandatory staff searches.Regular lectures on ethics and professional conduct are being rolled out as part of efforts to improve discipline and restore public confidence."We are doing strict screening and surveillance by conducting mandatory and routine searches of staff, and providing regular lectures on ethics and professional conduct on our staff to instil a strong culture of accountability," said the acting public relations officer, Superintendent Kabo Khuduga.

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Crisis in Botswana’s Prisons