INMATES RIOT AT BIG BEND PRISON

SITEKI – A riot broke out at Big Bend Correctional Facility yesterday morning after prison officials refused to allow inmates to play soccer.

Information gathered is that the inmates became violent as soon as prison officials informed them that they would not be allowed to play soccer.
The inmates are said to have pelted warders with stones and further hurled stones at windows and nearby Correctional Services vehicles.

A number of windows were reportedly broken and a Correctional Services vehicle (Toyota sedan) was also damaged during the riot.
It could not be ascertained how prison officials managed to stop the riot but by the time of compiling this report yesterday evening everything had returned to normal at the facility.
A source explained that the inmates rioted because they felt that their rights were being violated by the prison officials since playing soccer is part of the institution’s rehabilitation programmes.
“As part of the rehabilitation programmes, convicted inmates always play soccer on weekends and holidays.

“So they (inmates) failed to understand why they were being denied the opportunity to play soccer, hence they rioted,” said a source.
When sought for comment, His Majesty’s Correctional Services Public Relations Officer (PRO) Senior Superintendent Bongani Khumalo confirmed the matter before saying that there were no casualties.
Khumalo then explained why prison officials had refused to allow inmates to play soccer.

“Since you’re aware that there were a lot of activities taking place in the country today (yesterday), many of our officers were engaged outside the facility.
“As a result of that we were understaffed at Big Bend Correctional Facility so for security reasons we could not allow inmates to be outside with minimum supervision,”Khumalo said.
He further stated that after the riot, His Majesty’s Correctional Services Commissioner General Mzuthini Ntshangase sent one of his deputies to the facility to assess the situation.

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