Prison authorities lift ban on visits

NAMIBIAN Correctional Service commissioner general Raphael Hamunyela has eased restrictions on visits to inmates with immediate effect.

He announced this at a conference in Windhoek yesterday.

Visits were suspended during the Covid-19 state of emergency, but are now permitted again.

Hamunyela said the ban on visits is lifted at all correctional facilities, except at the Oluno Correctional Facility, “because the facility is currently plagued with 74 Covid-19 cases”.

He said: “Visits to awaiting-trial inmates are on a first-come-first-serve basis, Monday to Wednesday, and visits to sentenced offenders are from Friday to Sunday.”

Windhoek, Hardap, Divundu and Evaristus Shikongo correctional facilities are allowed a maximum of 50 visitors, Hamunyela said.

Visits are by appointment and bookings should be done by Mondays and Wednesdays for sentenced inmates.

At the Swakopmund, Omaruru, Keetmanshoop and Grootfontein correctional facilities, 20 visitors are allowed.

Only 30 visitors will be permitted at the Gobabis and Lüderitz correctional facilities.

Hamunyela said: “All visits will be non-contact visits. A maximum of two visitors at a time is allowed, and no one will be allowed to visit without wearing a mask.”