The family of the inmate who was incarcerated at the controversial Mangaung G4S Prison in Bloemfontein, Free State, is reeling from shock after receiving news that he was allegedly murdered by prison officials on Tuesday night.
Mpho Mkhumbeni, 37, from Virginia, near Welkom in the Free State, was allegedly murdered in his cell after he was accused of stealing cash from prison officials.
Information regarding his death was revealed by other inmates at the prison. They claimed that they saw what had happened to Mkhumbeni.
Serving sentence for murder
Mkhumbeni has been at Mangaung Prison since from 2014 after being sentenced for murder. He was allegedly assaulted by the feared prison Emergency Support Team (EST) and the prison officials working under G4S in Mangaung prison.
According to inmates who spoke to Sunday World, the prison leadership conducted a raid. The raid was allegedly led by prison bosses Anneke la Grange, Ida Malangabe and Sipho Ntuli. This took place in Unit Foxtrot, Street 1 in Cell number 6.
Inmates claim that after the search was conducted in the cell that housed four inmates. EST and G4S prison officials later left. But they came back with the other two newly untrained prison official recruits.
It is alleged that one of the new recruits had claimed that he forgot his official EST equipment backpack in Mkhumbeni’s cell.
Inmate accused of theft by guards
Inmates claimed that the backpack was found. It is alleged that EST members and G4S guards accused Mkhumbeni of stealing cash from the backpack.
“Indeed, the backpack was found in a cell. And these four EST members alleged that Mpho has searched that backpack and stole the money. Therefore Anneke and Idah told the EST to beat Mpho up until he admits. Anneke and Idah instructed other three inmates who share the cell with Mpho to stand outside the cell.
“Mpho was assaulted and kicked all over his body, as well as his genitals. These people avoided to assault him on his face through instructions of Anneke and Idah. They also choked him in the process,” said one inmate.
An inmate claimed that after Mkhumbeni was assaulted, the three inmates who were made to stand outside the cell were called back into cell. They also got assaulted badly and got pepper sprayed.
Inmates claim to have witnessed assault
It is alleged that Mkhumbeni, who was asthmatic for more than 10 years, was also pepper sprayed. This despite his medical condition.
“Even during the search that they conducted, EST members saw his medication and asthma pump. But still they didn’t give a damn as they continued spraying inmates,” said an inmate.
It is alleged that inmates who were brutally assaulted suffered internal injuries. They were struggling to breathe after being assaulted the whole night by EST and G4S guards.
“In the morning during the roll check, Mpho was seen sitting on a cell toilet to relieve himself. He told us that he was urinating blood. And he was also breathing heavily. He was attended to by the unit management, not the operations and security management who have caused all of this harm to him. Mpho was taken to the hospital and died upon his arrival,” said an inmate who is privy to the situation.
Family demands answers
Family spokesperson Bongile Mkhubeni spoke to Sunday World on Thursday about the ordeal. He said that the family was informed on Wednesday that the prisoner had died due to asthma. They did not reveal what had really happened.
“We drove to Bloemfontein on Thursday to demand answers. But we were told that there was nothing the prison was going to say, except that Mpho had died due to asthma. There are many questions which we need answers for. Mpho was fine on Monday when his girlfriend was at the prison to show him his child, whom he never saw since he was born 10 years ago.
“When he was sentenced, his girlfriend was pregnant. And he just saw his lastborn on Monday, his third child. We wanted to see him at the government mortuary, but prison bosses refused to give us that access. They were telling us that there were still investigations to be conducted. Then they told us that it was a procedure not to be allowed to see our brother,” said Bongile.
He added that it was very strange that the doctor who assessed him wrote that he died of unnatural causes. This despite the prison saying he died due to asthma.
Suspected cover-up
“There is a cover-up in this whole thing on how our brother had died. This guy, who is the correctional services manager from Mangaung Prison, was telling us that he was not allowed to give us information of what happened. It makes us more suspicious on how our brother died. They are hiding something as there are many loose ends in this whole thing.
“Who are they to deny us to see our deceased family member though? Which law, that doesn’t allow us to see our deceased family member? There are many loopholes here and we need clarity,” said Bongile.
Bongile even asked why prison officials were in the cells with cash in their bags.
“If there is truth about prison officials having money in bags and that they claim he stole it, what kind of business are they running in the prison? What was R800 doing in the cells? Something is fishy here and we really demand to know the whole truth,” he said.
Another inmate claimed that one of the prisoners who witnessed the incident was removed from cells. He was placed in solidarity confinement with the intention of convincing him to distort information.
Department confirms death
Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed the incident.
“The Department of Correctional Services confirms the passing of offender Mpho Mkhumbeni at Mangaung Correctional Centre. The circumstances surrounding his death, including the exact cause, are currently under investigation. As part of standard procedure, an autopsy report must be completed by forensic authorities. It will be submitted to the department to ensure a thorough investigation. Additionally, every inmate’s death is subject to an official inquiry. This with a full report to be provided to the deceased’s family.”
An inquest has been opened at Bloemspruit police station in Bloemfontein.
