Correctional Services not aware of alleged sexual assault of boy by warders

The Department of Correctional Services says it is not aware of an incident where an eight-year-old boy was allegedly sexually assaulted and manhandled by two prison warders.

“According to the Leeuwkop Management Area‚ this matter was never reported to them and therefore they bear no knowledge of the incident‚" provincial spokesperson Ofentse Morwane said.

"The investigation by the Departmental Investigation Unit (DIU) will confirm what further steps should be taken provided the allegations are true.

"The Department of Correctional Services will not hesitate to ensure that any person/s found guilty of any unlawful act or omission in this matter face the consequences of their actions.”

The boy and his mother were visiting his father prison when he was allegedly separated from his mother and herded into a room with two other men and searched.

Inside the room the warders searched the men and the boy. The search apparently involved partially stripping the men and the boy.

His father‚ who is serving an eight-year term for car theft‚ blew the whistle on the prison warders’ apparent involvement in the death of four inmates in a fire at Leeuwkop prison.

The woman said her son was distraught.

“Every time I try to get him to tell me exactly what happened he bursts into tears. He points to his genitals and cries. "

The boy’s mother said late last year‚ the father had told prison authorities that the warders’ inaction had led to the deaths of four inmates.

She said her fiancé saw warders deliberately delay opening the door of a cell in which a fire had been started.

“[The warders] were upset because the prisoners were on hunger strike. When the fire started they took their time to open the cell. He said by the time they did‚ four prisoners were dead.”

The warders had since been targeting him‚ the woman told The Times.

Morwane added that the investigation into the fire was not completed and they expected a full report by the end of this month.

- TimesLIVE