A/HRC/16/52/Add.5
bail him, but the community had threatened them, so he would have to stay at the police
station.
Female division
A female detainee, aged 30, had been taken to the police station the day before by her
brother, who punched her on the face. She did not know when she would go to court, did
not have a lawyer, and was not allowed any visitors. She was alone in the cell, and had not
received any water since her arrival.
Male division
Moses Maima, aged 40, and Iso Grimai, aged 30, had arrived that afternoon for drinking
on the street. Mr. Grimai had been taken to the police station by his family, while Mr.
Maima was arrested by the police, who punched him on the face and broke his eyeglasses.
They had not had any water since their arrival.
Gohix Panai, aged 35, had been taken to the police station on 21 April 2010 for assaulting
a woman with a knife. The woman was in the police car when they arrested him, and her
brothers wounded him on the back of the head with a bush knife, while the police watched.
He went to court two weeks after his arrival, and was sent to the clinic because he suffered
from malaria. His wife visited him every two days, but he was not allowed to see her and he
only received the food she provided sometimes. He added that he had not been beaten,
although it was regular practice to be beaten upon arrival at the police station.
Dabake Yokunda had been at the station for protection for over two months, because he
was accused of being a sorcerer. He had a wound on his right big toe, caused by the
villagers, and had not received any medical attention. He was in the outside cell because of
the putrid smell of his foot. According to the police officers, he was held there because he
was accused of murder. The condition of his toe was critical and the forensic expert said it
would likely have to be amputated.
N. N. was arrested earlier on the day of the visit of the Special Rapporteur at the main
market. He was taken to a nearby police station where he was beaten by three police
officers with a gun barrel. Subsequently he was transferred to Goroka Police Station, where
he was beaten at the counter with a gun butt and punched in the face and on his head.
Goroka ‘Bihute’ Correctional Institution
Visited on 20 May 2010
General information
The Special Rapporteur was received by Superintendent Frances Gahuye, Commanding
Officer of the Prison, who provided him with an introductory briefing on the facility. On
the day of the visit, the prison accommodated 270 male detainees, out of which
approximately 50 per cent had been convicted. Furthermore, 17 female women were
detained. Remandees and convicted detainees were not separated. The facility’s staff
comprises 46 wardens and four officers. According to the information provided by the
Superintendent, three juvenile remandees were held in the prison. Once convicted, juvenile
detainees were transferred to Lae. The conditions seemed much better than in other
detention facilities. Convicted inmates had access to different activities such as carpentry,
gardening, and school. On Fridays, they played soccer and rugby, and were allowed to
watch television. They received food three times a day, to which they could add vegetables
from the garden. The low security inmates were allowed leave for the weekend. Each cell
block at the male section had punishment cells, where detainees could, according to Mr.
46
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