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'Grootvlei warder has been a molester since '85'
22/07/2002 15:41 - (SA)
Bloemfontein - A Grootvlei prison warder who is still in the service of the Correctional Services department daily had sex with juvenile prisoners over a period of several years, the Jali Commission investigating prison corruption heard on Monday.
Prisoner Wilson Mohodi testified before the commission that
warder Sam Mohanoe, currently on bail for his alleged sexual
assault of a young Grootvlei prisoner, ran a soccer club for
juvenile prisoners, and had sex with the members of this club.
Mohanoe rewarded the young prisoners with plastic containers
filled with dagga, toiletries and petroleum jelly, Mohodi said.
He testified that Mohanoe has been having sex with young
prisoners since he met him for the first time in 1985 in the
Grootvlei prison. He sold dagga in prison on Mohanoe's behalf.
"When he needed a young man, he gave me dagga, and I gave him a young man."
Mohanoe used to discuss with Mohodi whether he found a
particular youngster "enjoyable" or not.
Mohanoe also used to order him (Mohodi) to stand guard while
sexually abusing the young prisoners in his office, Mohodi told the commission.
He also testified that he and Mohanoe sometimes shared dagga and young prisoners. "Sometimes, after he had finished with a young man, he would call me and I would also have intercourse in his office".
Mohodi said that he used to pay warders R20 to bring him a young prisoner to his cell, with whom he would then have sex.
Prison rules prescribe that juvenile prisoners, kept in another section as the older prisoners, should never come into contact with the older prisoners.
Commissioner Esther Steyn told Mohodi that his earlier statement to commission investigators regarding warders bringing him young prisoners to sexually abuse, did not match his evidence before the commission.
Mohodi also told the commission that the illicit drug trade in
Grootvlei has stopped after corrupt warders became aware of a
secret video that was made by inmates to expose prison corruption.
Mohanoe denied that he sexually abused young prisoners. He also denied giving dagga to Mohodi.
On Friday a young Grootvlei prisoner testified before the
commission that Mohanoe had repeatedly abused him sexually in and
out of prison.
Monday's hearing was adjourned until Tuesday morning for the
commission to do an on-site inspection of the prison premises.
- SAPA
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