Two prison guards face disciplinary proceedings following Nampula riot

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Two prison guards face disciplinary proceedings following Nampula riot

2:39 CAT | 02 Sep 2019

Picture: O País

Damages caused by the prison riot of August 7 are estimated at around 3.7 million meticais, Director of the North Regional Penitentiary Establishment in Nampula, Álvaro Arnança, has said. Two prison officers found to have been negligent face disciplinary proceedings.

“From our assessment, we found that two of our employees were directly involved in the case. One of them was carrying the [tear gas] grenade and the other was conducting the search when they made the mistake that we are currently correcting. One is a Prison Service corporal and the other a guard. Both are now facing disciplinary proceedings. As for the seven inmates who vandalised property, we are trying to identify them and take action,” said the director of the main jail in northern Mozambique housing men from Cabo Delgado, Niassa, Manica, Gaza and Maputo serving longer prison terms.

The riots began when, during a routine cell search, one of the officers dropped a tear gas grenade, which exploded. Some of the 1,700 inmates set fire to the administrative block, including the office where case files are stored, and vandalised the kitchen and the health post.

The size of the riot necessitated the intervention of the Rapid Intervention Unit and the fire brigade. Three inmates were shot dead and seven injured in the course of the riot being quelled. One inmate continues to receive outpatient treatment in prison.

At the same venue on Friday, a passing-out ceremony was held for 889 deputies and guards of the Zambezia, Nampula, Niassa and Cado Delgado Provincial Penitentiary Guard who were promoted as part of a national programme set to cover more than 3,000 prison officers this year.

The ceremony was attended by the Director-General of the National Penitentiary Service Jeremias Cumbe who urged those present to “pay greater attention to the security aspects of our correctional facilities, with a view to the rehabilitation and social reintegration of prisoners and increased agricultural production.”

By Ricardo Machava

Source: O País