CELL PHONE LODGED INSIDE PRISONER A 22-year-old male inmate of the Windhoek Correctional Facility has mysteriously inserted a mobile phone into his body through his anal cavity. It is not clear how the prisoner came into possession of the mobile phone, but the incident speaks volumes about the security breaches at the correctional facility – and possibly similar facilities around the country. After complaining of bowel and lower abdominal pain, corrections officers took the prisoner to the Katutura State Hospital where X-rays showed that he had a mobile phone in his rectum, which medical personnel believed he must have inserted through his anal cavity. Attempts to interview and visit the prisoner this week proved futile as hospital staff denied access to him. The Windhoek Observer could not establish whether or not doctors had performed an operation on the prisoner as the hospital’s operating theatres have been out of order since late December. However, doctors confirmed that the patient remained under medical care and 24-hour police surveillance. The operating theatres have been out of service for several months now, the latest in the long-running mismanagement saga at the Ministry of Health and Social Services. Sources working at the hospital disclosed that patients admitted a long time ago remain at the facility as they cannot receive surgery. The hospital has been forced to refer emergency cases to the Windhoek Central Hospital, and the 22-year-old prisoner is likely to be a victim of the very same circumstances. In a brief interview on Thursday, Manga Libita, a registered nurse working for the hospital’s superintendent, confirmed that the theatres had been out of service, but refused to comment further. Countless attempts to get comment from the Ministry of Health and Social Services Permanent Secretary Andrew Ndishishi, and the hospital superintendent proved futile. It has become common knowledge that possession of a mobile phone holds added advantages for inmates giving them leverage against others. In a brief telephonic interview on Thursday, the Namibia Correctional Services spokesperson Eveline Januarie, acknowledged the incident, but said she had no further information about the particular case at her disposal at that time. Januarie unfortunately was not able to revert back to the Windhoek Observer with more details, before the time of going to print. (Windhoek Observer)
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 07:08:22 +0000
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