The Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS)’s mandate has long evolved from running prisons to managing institutions meant to protect the public, rehabilitate offenders and uphold human dignity.  

Shockingly, the Commission of Inquiry into the December 2023 events at Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI) reveals an institution that has failed spectacularly on all fronts.  

The report tabled in Parliament lays bare a crisis of leadership at LCS — one that allowed security breakdowns, a culture of impunity, and pervasive human-rights abuses to flourish.  

The findings demand urgent action, clear accountability and a comprehensive reform programme that restores professionalism, safety and respect for basic human rights. 

The Commission’s account is harrowing.  

What began as an escape by inmates on 21 December 2023 was compounded by a cascade of managerial failures: cells and posts were not inspected, key positions were unmanned, night visits and searches were inadequate, and complacency had set in among managers and staff.  

These operational lapses precipitated the escape and, rather than containing wrongdoing, the response to the escape descended into brutality.  

The report documents 626 inmates who said they were assaulted, including with improvised weapons and a plank embedded with nails — practices that not only constitute cruel and degrading treatment but also raise the chilling possibility of HIV transmission.  

Some victims were left permanently disabled; one inmate, Bokang Tsoako, died; while another, Tlotliso Bereng, was left permanently wheelchair-bound after walking into the facility fully able bodied. These are not isolated incidents but are symptomatic of systemic failure. 

Accountability is central to any credible reform. The Commission makes concrete recommendations: disciplinary and criminal investigations of senior officers who failed in their duties, and possible prosecution of those implicated in assaults, including named recruits and commanding officers.  

These recommendations must be acted upon swiftly and transparently. Failure to investigate and, where warranted, prosecute, would only reinforce the culture of impunity that the report identifies, which would signal tolerance for violence inside prisons that should be bastions of the rule of law. 

Yet accountability alone is not enough. The root causes of LCS’s dysfunction point to deeper institutional pathologies: ineffective leadership, mistrust within the service, politicised appointments, inadequate harmonisation of conditions across the security sector and the absence of robust internal oversight.  

The Commission’s call for a quality assurance unit reporting directly to the Commissioner is a sound start but must be embedded in a wider reform package that builds capacity, professionalises the service, and rebuilds public trust. 

First, leadership must be professionalised.  

Promotions and appointments should be merit-based, transparent and linked to clear performance criteria. Political patronage undermines morale and competence; the government should commit to insulating LCS leadership appointments from undue political interference and adopt an open, meritocratic selection process for senior posts. 

Second, operational standards and accountability mechanisms must be restored.  

The institution needs standard operating procedures that are rigorously enforced, including routine independent inspections, and an accessible complaints mechanism for inmates and staff. The proposed internal quality assurance unit should have a clear mandate, resources and independence to monitor compliance, conduct audits and report publicly on corrective actions. 

Third, strengthen training and oversight on the use of force and human-rights standards. Correctional officers must be trained — not only in security procedures but in human-rights law, de-escalation techniques and medical first response. Any use of force must be proportional, necessary and documented. Where excessive force is alleged, independent investigations must follow promptly to preserve evidence and deter abuses. 

Finally, there is need to tackle systemic causes of demoralisation: harmonise pay and working conditions within the security sector as promised, improve living and working conditions for officers, and provide psychosocial support. Motivated, fairly treated staff are less likely to resort to brutality and more likely to adhere to professional standards. 

The path forward is challenging but clear. Begin with impartial investigations and where warranted, prosecutions.