Male prisoners outnumber females by far- Mmusi

Bame Piet
FILE PIC: Maun Prison

While the country’s population is estimated at 2.5 million with the man to woman ratio estimated at 1:2; and life expectancy for men below 60 years of age, it seems more men are destined for prison than for a better life.

According to Minister of Defense and Security, Kagiso Mmusi, as at 15th December 2022, there were 3 129 inmates and 3 071 of them were men whilst only 58 were females.

As for foreigners, there were 703 males in prison while 139 out of a total of 842 were females. “It is worth noting that during the five year period in question the number of prisoners has been reducing for both citizens and foreign prisoners. In summary, the trend depicts a decrease every year,” Mmusi said in response to a question by MP for Gaborone Central Tumisang Mangwegape –Healy last Friday.

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The legislator had also wanted to know how the figures had been changing in the last five years.

The minister stated that prisoners are kept in different categories with a view to facilitating training of prisoners and minimizing the danger of contamination.

Regulation 5(1) states that prisoners shall be classified having regard to their age, character and previous history in various classes of young prisoners; star class (well-behaved prisoners); ordinary class; and Un-convicted class.

“It must be noted that our prisons are administratively categorized into Maximum, Medium, and Low security Prisons.  The High Security Prisons are home to prisoners who have committed the most serious crimes including murder, rape, armed robbery, robbery etc.  Some of the Prisons in this category include Gaborone Central Prison, First Offenders, and Francistown Prison,” the minister explained.

He further explained that young prisoners are kept separately from older prisoners with the primary goal of easily managing and ensuring their safety and they are kept at Moshupa Boys Prison, where all convicted and un-convicted prisoners aged below 21 years are detained.

Mangwegape-Healy had also wanted to know if prisoners undergo medical and drug tests when they are remanded and whether those who have been found in use of drugs are given support for rehabilitation while in prison.

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“The Prison Service offer character moulding programmes to prisoners in an effort to address their offending behavior. Substance abuse treatment programme is offered to prisoners who on admission and assessment are discovered to have substance abuse problems. Support is offered in partnership with other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health,” Mmusi said.

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