POLICE AND OTHER DETENTION CENTRES Gendarmerie Brigade, Mopti (Brigade Territoriale de Gendarmerie de Mopti) n 1 December 1998, I visited the above Post. The Commandant of the Post, Leon Cissoko stated that the brigade was responsible for Mopti (town). Mopti region, however, has a total of 8 cercles. Mopti Post has one cell which had no occupant at the time of the visit. A little scrubbing of the cell would improve the scent it emitted. The cell was said to be usually unoccupied because only difficult suspects and those of doubtful morality were detained. The toilet outside the cell cried for cleanliness. Stealing, assault and abuse of confidence (economic) were said to be the most common crimes in Mopti. If a suspect was arrested, the Prosecutor was informed, and the latter would carry out an investigation into the charge or complaint. Suspects are not detained beyond 48 hours on the orders of the gendarme. However, the Prosecutor may extend the period of detention by 24 hours. O Police Station (Poste de Police) Mopti he visit to the Police Station followed shortly after the one to the Gendarmerie Post. To the Prosecutor, who drove us to both Centres, I am grateful. The Officer-In-Charge of the Police Station, Mr. Famory Konale (Commissaire de Police de la Ville de Mopti) explained that there is not much difference between the Police and the Gendarmerie. The Police work in the city while the Gendarmerie work outside it. On the average, the Police receive 5 complaints each day. They are mainly stealing with some cases of assault. Suspects are detained generally for less than 48 hours. As in the case of the gendarme, the Prosecutor's permission is required for detention beyond 48 hours and even here, the extension cannot be for more than 24 hours. Families of detainees are responsible for their food. Where a detainee has no relation the Police provide food at their own expense. At the time of the visit, there were 5 people in custody on allegations of stealing. T beyond the 72 hours, I had been informed, was the maximum period of detention. Two others were taken into custody on the morning of the visit while the fifth came in the previous day. One detainee, Ali Toure complained that he had been beaten at the Police Station by the Police, he was whipped until the assault resulted in wounds. His claim was consistent with wounds on him which I saw. Another inmate maintained that if a detainee was not brought food by a relation, he would have nothing to eat. The oldest detainee whose family were in Bamako had not eaten for 4 days and by the time of the visit none of them had eaten that day. However, white we were yet there, a relative brought food to one of the detainees. As there was no mat, they all slept on the bare floor. The whole of the front side of the spacious cell was firmly secured with iron bars. While this condition provided fresh air and light, it was no bar to the swarm of mosquitoes which would happily feast on the occupants at night. The smile and laughter from the Commanding Officer and his men, which followed my remark that the structure of the cell will let in mosquitoes without control showed how lightly they took my complaint. Realising my surprise and discomfiture, the Officer-in- Charge promised to do something about the matter. Concerning lack of food for the inmates, the Commissioner (Commissar)10 indicated that the inmates refused to eat food offered them. The food offered them is the same as what he ate. Part of the explanation for the refusal of food, he added, is the fact of there being many ethnic groups with different dietary preferences. As for the old man, who said he had not eaten for 5 days, he was a recidivist who had been to several prisons, which is no justification for a detainee not having eaten for that length of time. The truth of the matter must be in the fact that there is no budgetary allocation for food for detainees. A second but smaller cell in the yard was reserved for more serious offenders (homicide). The Commissar denied that any weapon or implement was used against prisoners. Questioned about the wounds of Ali Toure, he responded that Ali was a thief who had been caught in the act and beaten by the crowd. Discussion with Detainees Two of the five said that they had been in custody for 5 days. This is well 34 10. Commissioner, Commissar, Commanding Officer and Officer-In-Charge are used interchangeably. 35