Prisoners use cellphones to scam public
SA prisons have become hotspots for organised criminal syndicates who smuggle cell phones and other gadgets that are used to scam people and demand ransoms from the families of kidnapped victims, Cape Times reports.
This comes as the National Commissioner of Correctional Services, Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale, led a specialised team in a targeted operation that uncovered an undisclosed number of cell phones and other gadgets, allegedly being used by inmates to commit crimes from behind bars at the Bavianspoort Correctional Centre in Pretoria.
It is reported that a group of inmates at the facility, who were found with mobile phones, were scamming members of the public, resulting in the confiscation of several mobile phones and other contraband items.
Department of Correctional Services (DCS) spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo said investigations have revealed that inmates have created sophisticated hideout spots within their cells to conceal these devices.
‘This glaring security breach has prompted the National Commissioner to demand a full report from the centre's management, explaining how such activities could have occurred under their watch,’ said Nxumalo.
The DCS raid comes as anti-crime activist, Yusuf Abramjee's TV show Crime Watch had also uncovered the truth of some of these criminal syndicates.
Speaking after the airing of the latest prison exposé on Monday, Abramjee said he had handed some of the evidence to the authorities, Cape Times reports.
Abramjee said prisoners enlist the help of prison officials, who facilitate or overlook the smuggling of gadgets and other items inside prisons.
Nxumalo said that as part of immediate corrective action, all identified inmates involved in the scams have been transferred to the maximum-security unit (C-Max) at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre while forensic analysis continues on the recovered gadgets.
‘Thobakgale has directed Baviaanspoort Management to urgently develop and submit a comprehensive plan to address operational weaknesses and prevent the smuggling of illegal items into the facility,' DCS added.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
