Namibian Correctional Service confirmed they're holding 10 kids at Evaristus Shikongo Correctional Facility alongside adult prisoners, but Assistant Commissioner Salmi Hangula insists the juveniles stay in separate units the whole time. The breakdown includes two sentenced Namibian minors, five unsentenced Namibian kids, and three unsentenced non-Namibian juveniles. Hangula says there aren't enough juvenile inmates to justify building a dedicated facility, and she mentioned the correctional system is actually running below capacity with 4,616 inmates against 5,430 available beds.
The National Council's oversight committee spotted awaiting-trial kids mixed in with adults at some facilities between January and March, and they flagged inconsistencies in how separation actually works. The Office of the Ombudsman has been raising red flags about this for a while, especially at police holding cells where space is tight, and kids sometimes end up sharing detention areas with grown inmates. The ombudsman's office warned President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah that keeping children with adults puts them at risk for physical harm, emotional trauma, and exploitation.
The National Council's oversight committee spotted awaiting-trial kids mixed in with adults at some facilities between January and March, and they flagged inconsistencies in how separation actually works. The Office of the Ombudsman has been raising red flags about this for a while, especially at police holding cells where space is tight, and kids sometimes end up sharing detention areas with grown inmates. The ombudsman's office warned President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah that keeping children with adults puts them at risk for physical harm, emotional trauma, and exploitation.
