Date Of Article: 6/3/2002
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Teargassed inmates get K48,000 compensation
By: Hope Musukwa
The Prisons Department has paid through the Ombudsman a total of K48,000 compensation to 24 prisoners who were teargassed by a warder in their cell at Zomba Central Prison last year. Delivering the money to serving prisoners in Zomba on Thursday, investigating officer at the Ombudsman’s office, Rone Phiri, said the compliance by the prison authorities to pay the teargassed victims underlines the progress of human rights in cells. Phiri also advised inmates not behave irresponsibly but strive to reform so they easily be accepted back into society after serving their terms. The prisoners complained last year that prison warder Noel Samu released teargas in their closed cell measuring seven by three metres. The inmates complained that they had to scream for three minutes before a prison warder came to their rescue. The authorities reprimanded Samu and his officer-in-charge for lying that the prisoners had splashed urine on the warder. Prison spokesman Tobias Nowa said the development should serve as a lesson to other prison warders that inmates should be treated as human being with rights as well.
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