2018-02-08Staff Report 2 Alvine Kapitako Windhoek-The construction of the female section at the Windhoek Correctional Facility is expected to be completed by mid-March. Commissioner General of the Namibian Correctional Service, Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela said female offenders are currently being incarcerated at Walvis Bay at a prison for both men and women and in Gobabis. In total, there are 105 sentenced female prisoners while there are also trial-awaiting offenders. “We had a female section at the Windhoek Correctional Facility but it was changed to a programmes’ area,” Hamunyela told New Era yesterday. Once transferred to Windhoek, female offenders will participate in comprehensive rehabilitation programmes that will prepare them for when they are released. Currently, there are 1,000 male offenders at the Windhoek Correctional Facility with a staff complement of over 400. Hamunyela said last week that managing these prisoners has not been easy, as the group includes hardcore and repeat offenders. This has contributed to challenges, especially relating to security and the provision of rehabilitation programmes. “We often have to deal with issues of undisciplined officers and those with low morale. But the management of the Namibian Correctional Service is hard at work innovating to counter these challenges such as smuggling of contraband, indiscipline and low morale,” said Hamunyela. 2018-02-08Staff Report 2
