Hailstorm rips off roofs at prison

Freedom Mupanedemo

Midlands Bureau

A hailstorm has ripped off the rooftops of parts of Whawha Prison in Gweru, leaving the jail open to potential escapes.

Sections of the medium and young offenders’ Prisons were left without roofs after the hailstorm hit the area on Sunday.

The latest incident has worsened accommodation issues at the correctional facilities, following similar hailstorms that have damaged the prison complex over the past three years.

About 18 cells with a holding capacity of 350 inmates have since been decommissioned after successive hailstorms that have hit the prison complex in recent years.

Officer Commanding Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) Midlands Province, Commissioner Somemore Gate, said the two correctional facilities have been facing similar hailstorms that have damaged the prison complex over the past three years.

“A hailstorm blew off roofs at WhaWha Medium and Young Offenders Prisons this Sunday and we are now counting our losses as we ponder the next course of action to take,” he said.

“It’s unfortunate that we continue to experience such incidents. The complex has a carrying capacity of 1 600 inmates, and currently, we have over 1 400 inmates.”

Comm Gate said the decommissioning of some prison cells as a result of the hailstorm means that the prison authorities have to find alternative accommodation to house the inmates.

“We need assistance as of yesterday if we are to keep our prisoners in a dignified manner,” he pleaded.

The director for Economic Affairs and Investment in the Office of the President and Cabinet in the Midlands Province, Mr Kosheni Mtisi, said the Government is putting in place a disaster management strategy, as well as a mechanism to protect the prison complex from destruction in the event of hailstorms in future.

“Firstly, we will be engaging the Central Protection Unit and getting them to come up with a tangible action plan. We are also going to engage the necessary stakeholders and take comprehensive action to deal with the issue of infrastructure at the prison complex,” he said.

“We are determined to give decent accommodation to offenders in line with Vision 2030.”