Update: Prisoners ‘not pregnant’ – police
The prisoner felt her rights were violated by police.
POLICE have lambasted officers who told the Herald (on condition of anonymity) that two women fell pregnant in Port Shepstone Police holding cells after apparently ‘selling sex’ to fellow inmates.
Police spokesman Captain Vincent Pandarum denied the women were pregnant and also said claims that CCTV cameras did not focus on holding cells were untrue.
He added the claims were totally disrespectful to the station commander, Colonel Willem Slabbert, and Ugu Cluster Commander, Major-General Agnes Nxamagele.
However, they were still investigating.
The story was picked up by national newspapers and the National Police Commissioner also weighed in on the matter.
“We are investigating the matter and would like to place on record that these female prisoners also denied any knowledge of these activities. One prisoner even threatened to take legal action against us as she felt we violated her rights by insisting she undergo a pregnancy test,” said Captain Pandarum.
Police said the woman in question was sent to Port Shepstone Regional Hospital for the test and the results were negative.
Our source said the women were charged with shoplifting and they were still in custody as they could not raise bail money. They appeared in Port Shepstone Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
According to the Citizen, South African Prisoners’ Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR) CEO Golden Miles Bhudu said this was a common trend in prisons around the country and the world.
“It’s a scourge which is not often reported as prisoners are too scared to speak out.”
However, former inmates sometimes leaked information to SAPOHR after they were released.
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