A FORMER convict has said that there is rampant sodomy in prisons, with the condemned section at Mukobeko Maximum Prison recording the highest incidence.
Sishekano Lubinda, who was arrested for robbery in 2003, spent two years at Lusaka Central Prison remand section and six years at Mukobeko Maximum Prison before he was pardoned by the President in June 2011.
He said what other former prisoners have been denying actually happens behind bars.
“Yes, men have sex with men in prison…from the onset, I noticed that sodomy exists but to my surprise, some ex-prisoners and other people have not accepted that it exists,” Mr Lubinda said
He described his release from prison as a miracle since his co-accused is still incarcerated.
Mr Lubinda said this on Thursday when he featured on Radio Phoenix’s ‘Face the Media’ talk show.
He said his first encounter with men who have sex with men was at Lusaka Central Prison where some inmates took advantage of the congestion in the cells and were having romps in the night.
“Because of the congestion, in a cell meant for 30 people there are 70 or even 100 people; so some inmates would agree to engage in homosexual acts.
“But when they were caught in the middle of the night, there was a lot of noise because some of them would want to beat the perpetrators while others would want to rescue them,” he said.
He said even at the dreaded Penal Block, an isolated prison from the main jail arena, acts of sodomy are rampant because the structure houses convicts serving longer sentences.
He said after being convicted and sentenced to death, he was taken to the ‘Condemned Section’ where he found that sodomy cases were even higher.
“I believe this is because of the history of the condemned section. When someone is sent there, in the past, they were executed at once and it was believed that once you go in as a condemned prisoner, there would be no coming back.
“So, sodomy is rampant rate and even now, some people believe that they will not leave prison. So it is done to ease sexual desire,” he said.
Mr Lubinda said when he got there, he found a ‘couple’ that had been together for 17 years and one of them was acting like a woman and adopted feminine characteristics.
He said when his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, he was taken to the other section which houses everyone from all parts of Zambia serving 15 years and more, where he found even higher cases of sodomy.
“Those coming from far become more vulnerable because they will be without a visitor for a long time…so they entice other prisoners to engage in homosexual acts,” he said.
He said many prisoners are not aware of their HIV status because going for voluntary counselling and testing is a personal decision.
Mr Lubinda said he is aware that sodomy is still rife because some prisoners sent back to prison for other offences committed after their release confessed that they could not have proper sexual relationships with their wives.
Sad sad sad.
So Sata pardoned him to come and tell such a story? What a waste of presidential power. Those who deserve pardon, are preachers, authors, musicians, counselors, good gardeners… Not HOMOS.
I didn’t realize Sata had the powers to pardon prisoners in June 2011.
So the the elections in September 2011 were just a formality?
This is not news. It is rampant in prisons all over the world. Once a man gets to prison he automatically becomes someones ‘girlfriend’.
What do you expect? they cant masturbate forever can they? If you want this to be resolved, let their wives, girlfriends those who have and prostitutes those who dont have visit them per specifield time. After all they are human, or castrate them for christ’ sake!Otherwise stop complaing.
iwe cindy..hahahahahah ati `they cant musturabate forever can they?` awe mwe!
sex is not only sweet and also a stress reliefer,,awe naleka!! just is case,, there are children on the side piping on Lusaka times
Desperation in humans beings and other mammals brings out very strange actions and reactions
Is it because prisoners have lost their freedom that we create an environment that supports this dirty act? Is this party of the punishment pronounced by the judiciary in our courts? Certainly not. If that is the case, then the government stands condemned by God and the law against this scourge. Time for action to modernise prisons.
It is not true that the practice is rife in all prisons throughout the world. The world you know is very limited to your mind. Go out and see. There ‘re govts which really care for their people. Very true indeed.
Build more prisons stop bye elections
Stop sending people to prisons. More detail needed? Okay: Restrict the use of holding people indefinitely without bail (murder cases only); use mediation, parole and probation instead of prison sentences; allow conjugal visits and access to condoms & VCT; employ more court staff and free legal aid to speed up time to trial & reduce wrongful convictions; increase budget for food in prisons, so that inmates are not reduced to exchanging sex for food, and demand NGOs expand health programs into prisons; sentence drug/alcohol abusers to treatment programs rather than prisons; and stop the use of unjust long sentences for minor crimes (like stealing a chicken).
Utumipila
After reading the comments above..i noticed that the comments were made by people actually leaving in western countries where homosexuality is accepted as just another part of normal life. Its shocking to note the levels of denial going by some comments but as a country, its important to move away from the seemly dark ages and accept that this issue is here to stay and we need to start addressing it like any other country. The problem here in western countries is that the issue is now boarding on human rights…freedom of choice etc France has already passed laws allowing marriages for people of the same sex but where does Zambia stand in the next few years? A U turn i expect being that foreign aid will certainly out weigh our beliefs. So lets face it now than bury our heads in sand.
Ubuchende bwa kunuma
The Only solution is to give them a weekly wife-sex day.
I was remanded in custody at Chimbokaila for 2 months. I can testify that yochitila pa munyelo was very rampant. Luckily I dont have girlish looks so noone came for me. There were some hard core prisoners who had about 4 boys as wives. A guy called Abraham had 6.
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