30 November 1989
* * * THE NEWSPAPER FOR A NEW NAMIBIA * * * Bringing Africa South Thusday November 30 UIRY Smuggled letter reveals night beatings of Grootfontein detainees ------ BY RAJAH MUNAMAVA ----- AN UNSPECIFIED number of policemen of Grootfontein may face charges arising from assaults on prisoners awaiting trial, held at the police cells in the town. The police district detective offi tory actions started just after the an cer, Inspectot Marais ofTsurneb, has nouncement of the election results already opened a docket and an in more than two weeks ago. vestigation is continuing. Prior to this and during th e elec Last week, prisoners in Grootfon tion period, the situation had been tein smuggled out a letter from the better as Untag personnel slept on the police cells in which they outlined prison grounds to guard ballot boxes their ordeal at the hands of their which were kept there, they said. police keepers. In their letter, the detainees asked The detainees alleged that police Swapo to seek a remedy to their officers came in at night and took plight, and even suggested that people them out for beating sessions . be sent to the Grootfontein cells at From the letter it would appear night to keep check on the situation that the beatings, if true, have noth there as anything could happen to ing to do with interrogations on the them, adding that they felt their lives specific cases for which the detainees were in danger. are being held. The commander of the Grootfon The detainees said in the letter that tein police, Inspector Du Plessis, they were being told that Untag, which suggested that this reporter speak to had been helping them, had gone and the investigating officer when ap that they would now have to bear the proached for comment, but added SW APO leader Reverend Hendrik consequences.
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