Male inmates at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison have been hard-hit by a critical shortage of clothes and food stuff , it has emerged.
By Tinashe Nyatsoka
This emerged last week during the cross examination of Edmore Zisengwe who is facing allegations of siphoning close to 20000 litres of Diesel from an Econet owned booster.
Zisengwe divulged that conditions at Chikurubi prison were unbearable as he had to borrow clothes from a fellow inmate.
“Ndanga ndichikumbirawo kutongwa ndibva kumba, nekuti panyaya iyi, ini zviri pachena kuti handina chekuita nayo sezvaurwa na witness” (I seek to be given bail since the witness has clearly shown the court that I have nothing to do with this matter),” said Zisengwe.
According to Zisengwe Chikurubi is perhaps the most filthy jail that humankind has invented.
“Uyezve zvatakaudzwa tichienda kujeri sandizvo nekuti takanzi kuChikurubi kune hembe asi kubva February handina kupiwa chekupfeka ndinongouya kuno ndakapfeka juzi uye nderekukumbira ndatosiya mumwe wangu ari mugmbeze andipa short iri”. (the other issue is that when we went to jail we were promised to be given enough clothing but since February I have been coming to court with this jersey which I occasionally borrow from a fellow inmate who will in turn spend the rest of the day in blankets as he will be naked,” he said while displaying a rap over like pair of khaki shorts he was putting on.
The court heard that inmates most of the inmates are forced to spend the day naked as shortage of clothing has seriously hit the prison. He said that even during winter inmates are not given proper clothing and blankets
This comes barely a week after inmates who are languishing in remand Prison failed to attend court sessions as the institution failed to source fuel to transport them
Against the dilapidating conditions at the prison, Harare magistrate warned Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPSC) officers to make sure that inmates were treated with their inherent right to dignity.
