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Remand
Out of the total of 16,000 prisoners 4,500 of them were on remand. 4,000 of
the latter figure may generally be on remand for 6 months, and the remaining
500 beyond six months. At Kadoma Prison, while some prisoners on remand
may stay for less than one year, others stay for 12 or 18 to 24 months. It was
said that screening by psychiatrists to determine the mental state of entrants is
not fast enough — and it accounted in part for long remand; delay by the
police and prosecutors being the other major contributory factor.
At Chikurubi Female Prison and Kadoma Farm Prison, prisoners on remand
were distinguishable from those serving sentences by their uniform, and at the
latter by sitting arrangement when I met and talked to them in a Hall about
my assignment.
Labour, Trade and Skills
Harare Prison has an impressive set of workshops which provide training and
working at known trades by the inmates. A mechanic section gives training in
engine-tune ups, -engine overhauls, suspension, steering overhauls, gearbox
repairs, brakes overhaul, wheels, clutch overhauls, auto-electric and general
service. A Prison Officer who is a qualified mechanic, and was assisted by five
other officers with similar qualification, was in charge of the mechanics
section. Understudying the officers were 37 prisoners. Most of these had no
previous knowledge of mechanics, but as part of the scheme they would be
trade-tested by the Ministry of Higher Education and the successful ones
issued with certificates which would enhance their prospects of employment,
or give them the confidence to start their own small trade.
Under a welding section were moulding and forging sectors. There was also a
panel beating and spray painting section.
A carpentry section whose supply of logs comes from prison farms, makes
filing shelves for the Ministry of Justice and repairs furniture of the Prisons,
Army, and Ministry of Justice. Corner stands, beds and display cabinets, chairs
and doors are also made at this carpentry. 74 prisoners in the carpentry had 2
prison officers as supervisors. A prisoner with experience in carpentry shared
his skills with his mates.
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Television sets, wireless and iron were repaired at an electrical repair wing
of the workshop.
Carving engaged the attention of some of the prisoners.
A large tailoring shop with 106 machines had 170 prisoners working in it.
Some of the items sewed were male and female prison officers uniforms,
gowns for judges, magistrates, and prosecutors. Others were prisoners
uniform computer covers, hospital theatre towels and nurse aid uniforms. The
skills imparted to the prisoners went beyond sewing to repair of sewing
machines.
A book binding section had upholstery and cobblers wings. Pneumatic tyres
served as material for making sandals for prisoners. 75 prisoners worked
under 2 officers with qualification in the trades being learnt. As regards the
binding of books, the Ministry of Education supplied materials with which
books of government schools were bound.
Built in 1928, the workshop must have served over the years, to make the
Harare Prison not only a place of detention, but a setting where some
appreciable measure of rehabilitation of the offender could be expected of
those who worked there.
Chikurubi Female Prison, which was established in 1967, has set up projects
for the training of the inmates though on a small scale. Training is given in
typing from the intermediate to the advanced stages. Computer literacy is also
encouraged. Prison Officers also can take advantage of these projects to either
learn or improve their skills in the above areas.
A sewing section was under two officers, and uniforms of female officers
were sewn here.
A knitting section produced jerseys, some of which were said to be worn by
the inmates during the winter months of May - August.
It is noted that a clinic is attached to the female wing, while the Chikurubi
maximum security prison, which began operation in 1979, has a hospital
attached to it.