No cash behind bars

2003-07-09 11:08

Pietermaritzburg - Nine prisoners serving lengthy sentences had their application to keep cash behind bars disallowed by the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday the office of Judge Ronald McLaren said on Wednesday.

The judge disallowed the application because, he said, it was brought on the prisoners' behalf. He ruled that the application must be filed by the prisoners themselves.

The nine, all from Ncome Prison in northern KwaZulu-Natal, would reappear on July 22.

They claim the department of correctional services acted unconstitutionally when it declined them the right to carry money.

The men say they need the money to buy nutritional food which is not provided by the authorities.

The High Court is in recess until July 31 but the case was on the roll and would be heard by one of the two judges who remain in office during the month-long recess, McLaren's office said.

- SAPA