Shortage of warm clothing rocks Prisons

An observation of both prisoners on remand and those serving has exposed that there is a serious shortage of warm clothing for the inmates as quite a number of them who were appearing in court and those who are serving who works at the High court premises appeared shivering in their khaki and white garbs.

This was observed since the start of this week when the weather was chili but the prisoners could be seen without jerseys.

Several of them who were appearing at the magistrates' court were without jerseys despite the chilling weather. It was observed that some of them ever visibly shivered in the dock but no one of the court officials or prison guards should bother to think or question how the situation in prison in terms of clothing was.

Last year a Bulawayo resident said her son who is an inmate at Khami told her during visit that they were advised to tell relatives to bring them jerseys and even saw for them prison garb because the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services had no money to buy adequate material.

Revelations are that the situation continues as relatives of the inmates are still expected to donate to their kith and kin who are locked up in prisons.

The scenarios observed at the courts on prisoners exposes that ZPCS lacks warm clothing for the inmates.