News / National
Zim prison cells infested with HUGE RATS - NewsDay legal assistant
17 Jan 2016 at 07:58hrs | Views
Alpha Media Holdings legal assistant Sifikile Thabete who had a one night jail stint has claimed that cells are infested with huge rats and never touched a blanket she was given.
She was arrested recently alongside NewsDay deputy editor Nqaba Matshazi and reporter Xolisani Ncube.
She was detained at Harare Central Police Station overnight.
As she was being ushered into the cell, Thabethe received the shock of her life when she saw a "huge rat".
"The rat was the first thing that scared me. I could not sleep thinking that rats might bite my toes or even damage my shoes," Thabethe said.
The cell had six concrete slabs that were supposed to be bunk beds for inmates.
"On the other side of the slabs was the toilet which we were all supposed to use.
"We were shocked that it was in the same room where we were supposed to sleep. Luckily, there were only three of us in the holding cell.
"The cell was dark and had a putrid smell of urine, and while we were asleep there was this strong smell as if someone somewhere was burning plastics."
"As we were being booked, I heard one man who was detained in the male holding cells exclaiming that he failed to sleep because of lice, and so I decided not to touch the prison blankets. I opted to sleep without a blanket.
"We were woken up promptly at 5 o'clock in the morning to take cold baths.
"The bath area was not so dirty, but it is not a bath place which one can use without slippers on their feet."
She was arrested recently alongside NewsDay deputy editor Nqaba Matshazi and reporter Xolisani Ncube.
She was detained at Harare Central Police Station overnight.
As she was being ushered into the cell, Thabethe received the shock of her life when she saw a "huge rat".
"The rat was the first thing that scared me. I could not sleep thinking that rats might bite my toes or even damage my shoes," Thabethe said.
The cell had six concrete slabs that were supposed to be bunk beds for inmates.
"We were shocked that it was in the same room where we were supposed to sleep. Luckily, there were only three of us in the holding cell.
"The cell was dark and had a putrid smell of urine, and while we were asleep there was this strong smell as if someone somewhere was burning plastics."
"As we were being booked, I heard one man who was detained in the male holding cells exclaiming that he failed to sleep because of lice, and so I decided not to touch the prison blankets. I opted to sleep without a blanket.
"We were woken up promptly at 5 o'clock in the morning to take cold baths.
"The bath area was not so dirty, but it is not a bath place which one can use without slippers on their feet."
Source - Standard
