…as overcrowding, disease deepen crisis
Mohloai Mpesi
CELLS designed for a handful of inmates now hold triple their capacity. Toilets sit inches from beds. Windows barely allow in fresh air. In some facilities, inmates go months without basic hygiene supplies.
This is the grim and degrading reality inside the country’s correctional centres—conditions that lawmakers now warn are not only inhumane, but a growing public health risk.
THE Senate has sharply criticised the perilous living conditions within the Lesotho Correctional Services (LCS), following a damning report by the Committee on Government Assurances (CGA) after a fact-finding mission to the Maseru Central Correctional Institution (MCCI).
The visit was prompted by a question raised by Senator Joel Motšoene on 7 May 2025, demanding clarity from the Minister of Law and Justice, Richard Ramoeletsi, on measures in place to ensure that correctional facilities provide a humane and conducive environment. Dissatisfied with assurances given at the time, the CGA undertook a follow-up inspection on 11 September 2025 to assess progress.
Tabling the report before the Upper House on Thursday, committee member and Senator, Mawinnie Kanetsi, said the findings exposed a correctional system under severe strain, with longstanding promises largely unmet.
“The purpose of the visit was to establish whether the Ministry had implemented the assurances it made before this House. What we found on the ground shows that very little has changed in terms of living conditions,” Ms Kanetsi said.
She explained that while LCS management pointed to parole releases ahead of King’s Birthday last year as a measure to ease congestion, overcrowding remains a defining feature of the system.
In July 2025, His Majesty King Letsie III approved the release of 240 inmates on parole to mark the 200th anniversary of the Basotho nation and his 62nd birthday celebrations.
“Even though there was a temporary reduction in inmate numbers, the facilities are still overcrowded. Cells continue to accommodate more inmates than they were designed for, and this puts immense pressure on sanitation, ventilation and overall hygiene,” she said.
The report details how many inmates are confined in poorly ventilated cells, where small windows restrict airflow and contribute to suffocating conditions.
“Some cells have toilets inside, directly next to sleeping areas. This arrangement is not only unhygienic but completely undermines the dignity of inmates. There is no proper separation between sanitation facilities and living space,” Ms Kanetsi told Senators.
She added that poor hygiene and congestion have contributed to the spread of illness among inmates, compounded by limited access to healthcare.
“There is an inadequate number of nurses and medical personnel. Inmates who fall sick are not attended to timeously, and the conditions themselves are making people sick,” she said.
The CGA further observed structural deterioration across facilities, including damaged infrastructure, ageing equipment, and incomplete maintenance works.
While the Acting LCS Commissioner, Matingoe Phamotse, informed the committee that some refurbishment projects were underway—such as renovations at Mohale’s Hoek Correctional Facility and upgrades to the chapel and kitchen at MCCI—he acknowledged that progress remains slow due to financial constraints.
“He indicated that the department has initiated some renovations within the limited resources available. However, major infrastructure repairs cannot be undertaken due to insufficient funding,” Ms Kanetsi said.
The Commissioner also highlighted dependency on the Ministry of Public Works and Transport for maintenance, which often results in delays.
“They rely on Public Works for repairs. If Public Works does not act, then nothing gets fixed. This has worsened the state of infrastructure,” she added.
The Senate committee also raised concerns about operational inefficiencies within the LCS, noting that overcrowding and resource shortages are undermining rehabilitation programmes and overall correctional objectives.
“The conditions we observed are not conducive to rehabilitation. Instead, they risk worsening the situation by exposing inmates to further hardship and health risks,” Ms Kanetsi said.
Among its recommendations, the CGA called for urgent intervention to repair dilapidated cells, expand infrastructure to accommodate growing inmate numbers, and improve sanitation systems.
“The management of LCS must take urgent steps to upgrade sanitation facilities, ensure proper separation of toilets from sleeping areas, and improve ventilation systems. These are basic requirements to safeguard health and dignity,” she said.
The committee also urged the government to prioritise the recruitment of additional healthcare personnel and to review operational frameworks to improve efficiency within correctional facilities.
Ombudsman corroborates “inhumane” conditions
The Senate’s findings are strongly reinforced by the latest report from Ombudsman Advocate Tlotliso Polaki, whose Follow-up Report on Inspections of Correctional Facilities revealed a deepening national crisis across correctional institutions.
Her report showed that the inmate population surged from 1835 in 2023 to 2757 by March 2026, placing immense pressure on already strained facilities.
Adv Polaki reported that at MCCI, a prison designed to hold 500 inmates is now housing 971, representing 149 percent overcrowding.
“Some facilities are operating at up to three times their intended capacity,” Adv Polaki said, warning that such congestion violates basic standards of humane detention.
She attributed much of the crisis to chronic underfunding, noting that the LCS budget had not increased in real terms since 2020 despite the sharp rise in inmate numbers.
“As a result, most of the budget is consumed by food and basic necessities, leaving no room for infrastructure maintenance, capital development or staff training,” she said.
The Ombudsman described this as a “chronic misalignment” between financial resources and operational needs, which had severely weakened the institution’s capacity to function effectively.
Her report also exposed severe shortages of essential supplies, including cleaning materials, medical resources and basic hygiene products.
“I found instances where inmates last received bathing soap in November 2025. We are now in April. This is unacceptable and strips inmates of their dignity,” she said.
She warned that such deprivation forces vulnerable inmates—particularly those without family support—into desperate situations to access basic necessities.
“You can imagine the consequences for inmates who have no visitors or external support. They are left with no choice but to compromise themselves in order to survive,” she said.
Calls for urgent reform
Both the Senate committee and the Ombudsman agree that the challenges facing Lesotho’s correctional system are systemic and require urgent, coordinated intervention.
They have called for a comprehensive review of the LCS budget, accelerated infrastructure development, improved staffing—particularly in healthcare—and stronger oversight mechanisms to ensure that government commitments are implemented.
Without such reforms, lawmakers warn that correctional facilities will continue to deteriorate, posing risks not only to inmates but also to public health and the broader justice system.
“The current conditions fall far short of acceptable standards. Urgent action is required to restore dignity, improve safety, and ensure that correctional facilities fulfil their intended purpose,” Ms Kanetsi said.