Trial delays leave inmates malnourished

Trial-awaiting inmates are going hungry at some police holding cells, with the ombudsman finding cases of malnutrition during recent inspections.

Ombudsman Basilius Dyakugha says his findings highlight the poor conditions faced by people awaiting trial, amid persistent overcrowding and delays in the criminal justice system.

“The ombudsman highlighted that some trial-awaiting inmates were found to be suffering from malnutrition, which was later confirmed by the Ministry of Health and Social Services’ Oshana regional office,” Dyakugha says.

The ombudsman’s findings come amid police holding cells struggling with overcrowding, partly because criminal cases take too long to finalise.

The Namibian previously reported that some police holding cells were operating well above their intended capacity, with Omuthiya and Oshakati among the facilities identified as severely overcrowded.

At Omuthiya, inmates were reportedly sleeping on top of each other because of a lack of space.

Overcrowding has also put pressure on resources, including food.

The Namibian reported in November last year that police officials warned that when holding cells exceed their capacity, the police have to feed more inmates using the same budgets allocated for fewer people.