(MENAFN- The Post) THE commission of inquiry into the breakout at the Maseru Correctional facility last December will cost a staggering M2 million.
The budget allocation was revealed by Law Minister Richard Ramoeletsi in parliament on Monday.
High Court judge Justice Realeboha Mathaba, former Deputy Prime Minister Kelebone Maope, and ex-Commissioner of the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) Mojalefa Thulo, have been sworn in as commissioners.
Justice Mathaba is the chairman.
The gazette establishing the commission says it will investigate, appraise and evaluate the circumstances that led to the escape of the inmates from jail on December 22 last year. It will also assess security measures within the facility.
The commission will probe circumstances around the search operations conducted by LCS officers after the six inmates escaped.
It will also identify officers who took part in the search and allegations of the use of force against 300 inmates in the aftermath of the escape.
This comes after Ombudsman Tlotliso Polaki recommended that the government urgently establish a commission of inquiry into the assault of inmates.
Advocate Polaki had established that over 300 inmates out of 650 at the Maseru Correctional facility“were tortured, beaten up and whipped” as the jail warders probed the escape.
One of the escapees who was later captured, Bokang Tsoako, was killed.
The Ombudsman found that most of the beatings occurred particularly in areas without video surveillance cameras and were covered up by false reporting.
The warders had claimed that some of the inmates, especially nine soldiers awaiting trials in custody, were hostile during the search.
“It was established without a doubt that inmates were beaten by officers unprovoked, slapped and aggressively searched to pick fights,” Advocate Polaki found.
“The officers seem to have huddled up as recruits to get their stories straight and report with bogus scenarios justifying the abuse,” she said.
“The evidence pointed to a well-orchestrated plan to torture and ill-treat inmates, in particular, it was mainly targeted at members of the LDF who remain incarcerated to date but somehow affected all other inmates in different cells.”
The Ombudsman said the 'tacit acquiescence' of senior officers, who were present at the time, to inmates administered abuse and punishment together with the alarming level of use of force directed at the inmates“was particularly telling of the culture” at the correctional facility.
Ramoeletsi said the commission is already in operation and will work for two months.
“There will be an extension of a month if the need arises,” Ramoeletsi said.
He said the commission will conduct its investigation in line with the ombudsman's report and the evidence provided by the LCS managers.
“The commission is already on step one of operation, soon the days to commence will be announced,” he said.
The Basotho National Party (BNP) leader Machesetsa Mofomobe described the commission as a“waste of public funds”, arguing that it is likely to“duplicate” the ombudsman's investigation into the same matter.
“I have a feeling that money will be wasted on the job that has already been done by the other arm of government,” Mofomobe said.
“There was no need for a commission,” he said.
Ramoeletsi however responded that“the ombudsman's report will be used in the investigation”.
“The Ombudsman did not conduct a deep investigation. She did not reach some parts,” he said.
He also said the Ombudsman has recommended the commission of inquiry.
Nkheli Liphoto
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