Harare - Six people were found dead in their filthy cells at
Zimbabwe's Chikurubi maximum security prison on Monday.
About the same number died over the weekend.
Another 100 bodies, many mutilated by rats, are stacked up in the
mortuary and will be unclaimed and buried as paupers in prison grounds.
'It was a nightmare'
Over the past year, more than 700 prisoners died in the prison about
20km east of here.
"It's the same at the rest of the prisons around the country," an
off-duty warder from Chikurubi said on Monday.
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"We often find six died at a time, mostly of pellagra. A lot have
Aids, but die quickly because they don't have enough food.
"Three days ago, for the first time, Assistant Commissioner Chikature
from the regional office came to have a look because the ICRC,
(International Committee of the Red Cross) is working here.
"ICRC put in a borehole two months ago, so at least we have clean
water now and more food."
The ICRC in Zimbabwe has been working quietly within the prisons since
the inclusive government was sworn in.
At the height of the crisis, between November and January, 327 deaths
were officially recorded at Chikurubi.
The jail, with an average of 30 inmates each for cells designed for
10, is among the most congested of the country's 42 prisons, with a national
population of about 24 000 inmates - many on remand.
In Bulawayo last year, an open cell at Grey's Prison was turned into
an infirmary because so many inmates became ill.
"It was a nightmare," a former short-term detainee said.
"A kid who stole five mangos was in for five months, another guy
accused of stealing washing was there for 21 months. They were starving."
Retired Major-General Paradzai Zimondi was appointed commissioner of
prisons 10 years ago and is in President Robert Mugabe's inner circle.
"He has never been to see what is going on in Chikurubi" the warder
said. "He doesn't care."
The Central Prisons Department said no one was available to talk to
the media.
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