Prisons boss warns ‘unruly inmates’ following Meyiwa court scuffle
The Department of Correctional Services has warned the accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial over their future conduct in court.
This follows a physical altercation between accused number three, Mthobisi Mncube, accused four, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, and accused number five, Fisokuhle Ntuli, and Correctional Services official Vusi Jele in the High Court in Pretoria on Monday
The altercation between the four men took place during the 15-minute tea break.
He has condemned “in the strongest possible way” a brawl that occurred in the Pretoria High Court on Monday.
“Such utter disrespect will not be tolerated, and the department is looking into the incident,” said National Commissioner Samuel Thobakgale.
“Correctional officials rendering escort and guarding responsibilities do so on behalf of the state. Hence, any form of unbecoming behaviour warrants a security review so as to ensure the safety of those in closer proximity to the inmates.”
Speaking in court on Monday morning, Jele said the altercation related to the manner in which the accused were seated in court.
Jele told the court that the accused were sitting improperly on the benches.
“I called and said, ‘Ntuli, you don’t sit like that’. Then they hounded me and threatened to beat me up if I came close to them. I then said they can fight me if they want. I then tried to pull accused four, but accused number three was closer.
"Then I saw a blow coming for me. It was accused number three, then number four, then five. I tried to come closer, and they were standing, but the other two didn’t do anything.”
But the defence for accused three, Advocate Charles Mnisi, said Mncube and the other accused were being prevented from stretching their legs during the adjournment.
“But today, specifically, he approached them again and said to them they should sit down like how they are seated here. And, according to accused number three, (the warden) Vusi, uttered the words, if they don’t want to comply with his instruction he is going to hit them.
“So then they said, ‘This is an adjournment and we are entitled to stretch our legs because we are seated here for more than two hours. So we can’t continue sitting like this’. So he did not take kindly to that, and then he started to hold him and hit him with the shoulder. And accused number three had to stand to one of those blows but not in a way of retaliation but to ward off the blows.”
Thobakgale said this type of behaviour from the accused will not be tolerated.
“Failure by the accused persons to behave themselves calls for the department to act and it will do so without any form of hesitation. The accused are sentenced for other offences and hence the escort and guarding duties are rendered by the DCS.”
ALSO READ
