Prison inmates revealed to the Gaborone Extension 2 Magistrate Court, this week, how the Gaborone Maximum Security Prison torture routines follow the notorious Guantanamo Bay Pattern of violent abuse and sexual humiliation. Testimonies also revealed the existence of the Slaughter Room, a cell used by prison authorities to beat up inmates.
Botswana prison authorities are reportedly subjecting inmates to torture routines similar to those of the notorious Guantanamo Bay pattern of violent abuse and sexual humiliation.
This was disclosed at the weekend during a court appearance of prisoners at Gaborone Extension 2 Magistrate in which the presiding official had to clear out the courtroom and hold the session in-camera.
Media reports today say this was after one of the witnesses revealed that some of the details were too sensitive.
Reports say, Silas Huve told the court how prison officials, who were initially arraigned on two counts of grievous bodily harm, ordered an inmate identified as Badisa Moatshe to have sexual intercourse with Tefo Motshwari, another inmate, in full view of other officials.
The two prisoners, however, had allegedly been so badly beaten that they could not have homosexual intercourse, reports say.
Another witnesses, told the court that on 12th February last year at Central Prison, they were ordered to line up in their cells.
After their cell had been searched he was taken to a secluded place on the prison grounds, commonly known as the Slaughter Room, where he was seriously beaten by the same officers.
While at the Slaughter Room inmates were undressed and forced to submerge their heads in a pail full of water as prison authorities took terns to beat them with baton stick.
They were then instructed to engage in homosexual acts.
