Community service, judiciary supervision new options to reduce overcrowding in prisons - DPM

Plans are afoot for the construction of four female prisons and a new Maseru Central Prison, the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Lesao Lehohla, announced in a statement in the National Assembly on February 24.

The Ministry of Works and Transport has been commissioned to make quotations on the construction of the New Maseru Central Prison, the Mafeteng, Quthing, Qacha's Nek and the Mohale's Hoek Female Prisons, Mr. Lehohla said, announcing that this was one of the recommendations of a commission of inquiry into the escape of convicted prisoner Phakiso Molise on August 7, 2003 and the general state of affairs in the Lesotho Prison Services. 

Mr. Lehohla said in response to the main recommendations made by the Commission, community service sentencing, probation and judiciary supervision would be handed out as punishment to both young and adult offenders. Others measures would include the use of diversionary measures such as verbal sanctions and reprimand, and suspended sentences, to address overcrowding in prisons. 

The Lesotho Prisons Services would also improve skills training for inmates under the Lesotho Justice Sector Development Project, a Department for International Development (DFID) programme of the United Kingdom, the Deputy Prime Minister said.   

With regard to the recommendation on comprehensive legislature, the cabinet has already approved the Lesotho Correctional Service Bill 2004, to which a few amendments are being made as per recommendation of the commission. The inadequate clothing, bedding and poor quality food that the report mentions will be addressed in the budget the Minister of Finance has just presented, Mr. Lehohla said. 

25 February 2004