Prison conditions depress Liato

Prison conditions depress Liato
By Joseph Mwenda
Sun 27 May 2012, 13:30 CAT

INCARCERATED former labour minister Austin Liato has complained that his health condition may worsen after being made to share a single mattress with other inmates, sources at the Lusaka Central Prison have revealed.

And some of the inmates who were released from Lusaka Central Prison, commonly known as Chimbokaila, on parole on Friday, explained that Liato was a "Big Bwana" in prison owing to his financial influence.

According to inside sources, Liato walked into prison with confidence on Thursday but was later in the evening appalled with the sleeping arrangements.

"This is not a friendly place, when you walk here everything changes. He thought he would continue enjoying life here, but he was depressed when we took him ku Chitakataka Sleeping cell. He is a prisoner like the rest and he is sharing a mattress with others," sources said.

The sources said the hefty former minister was praying for the weekend to pass so that he could be released on bail pending appeal.

"We are not making him work at all but he is weak. You can tell that he is depressed, that is why he is worried that his health might be affected if he stays long here. He is confident that he will be out on Monday. His wife is also worried and she comes to spend time with him during visiting hours. Today yesterday, he also requested that he sees his driver."

A check yesterday morning found Liato's wife and other relatives at Chimbokaila visiting him.

Meanwhile, Inmates who had an encounter with Liato said he was finding life easy in prison because he had money.

"Ba guy balefwaya ukumuchita ifya boyo. Kuti aya mukushanga indalama ninshi abantu balechula. But teti mudala, balemusunga bwino bashilika. Ni big bwana ulya, lelo uluchelo achipelako na guy umbi zali iya transport. (Some inmates wanted to manhandle him. How can he bury money when people are suffering? However they could not succeed because the prison warders are taking good care of him. He is a rich man. Today (Friday) he even gave a pardoned inmate K100, 000 for transport," an ex-prisoner explained.

Liato is serving a two-year sentence after being convicted of one count of being in possession of property suspected to have been proceeds of crime.

In December last year, police investigators dug out K2.1 billion from his Mwembeshi farm which has since been forfeited to the state, together with the recovered money.

After being sentenced, Liato mocked the two-year jail term slapped on him by Lusaka principal resident magistrate Aridah Chulu, saying it is short and he should be granted bail pending appeal.