Zim man remains locked up in Bots jail despite serving term

ZIMBABWEAN man Fortune Ndlovu jailed for robbery in Botswana on November 25, 2014 remains incarcerated despite completing his sentence in July last year.

His sister, Gugulethu Ndlovu told Southern Eye that Botswana prison authorities in Gaborone have continued to keep Fortune in prison even after he completed serving his jail term.

“My brother was jailed in Botswana under case number CTHGB 000017-16 and has been detained at the first offenders prison. He was arrested in 2014 and was jailed on November 25, 2014,” Ndlovu said.

“The matter was being handled by then judge Justice Abednego Tafa. Fortune completed serving his sentence in July 2021, but they have been keeping him in jail in unclear conditions up to now. After making him stay in jail, we understand the prison authorities now fear; or are trying to evade compensating him for the time they have been keeping him in jail.  They have been trying to clandestinely deport him to avoid compensating him.”

Ndlovu said as a family, they now feared he might be assassinated by authorities seeking to evade compensating him for unlawful imprisonment.

“Fortune has expressed fears that he might not be safe.  His friends who were arrested at the same time with him, were released on time, but he remained locked up.”

The sister said his lawyers from Ndadi Law Firm tried to secure his release to no avail.

“The lawyers wrote to the Botswana Prisons seeking his release and the information we are getting was that the prison authorities have not yet responded.  It is now more than a year since my brother completed serving, but he has remained locked up.

“We are so concerned over my brother's plight. While he was in jail, his sister and brother died.  He is the only brother we are left with. His release is important,” she said.

Efforts to get a comment from Ndadi Law firm were fruitless.

Botswana Prison authorities could not be reached for comment.

Follow Silas on Twitter @silasnkala

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