Africa-Press – Botswana. Mahalapye residents and organisations have been urged to continue joining hands with the Department of Prisons Services to ensure that it successfully achieves its mandate.
Speaking during a donation ceremony by the UCCSA church in Mahalapye recently, officer in charge of prisons in Mahalapye, Mr Martin Mokgethi appreciated efforts by some organisations and individuals they were enjoying support from, saying it made a huge difference in the welfare of staff members and inmates.
The church donated toiletry and clothes to prisoners. The church also conducted a service and prayers.
Mr Mokgethi urged members of the public to welcome back ex-prisoners into communities so that they could become better and responsible citizens.
He said prisons were rehabilitation centres and that families and communities should help them to integrate prisoners with other citizens.
Mr Mokgethi also emphasised that prisoners had been punished by serving jail time and they did not deserve to be further punished by society by not forgiving and accepting them back.
Mr Mokgethi also noted that all their literature and services were provided free of charge to chaplains, volunteers and prisoners and that it was due to people and organisations’ generosity. He stated that prisons had various programmes which assisted prisoners when they were released.
For his part, Reverend Kenneth Thabiwa, who was the mission convener, said they were sent to preach the word of God, adding that as soldiers of Christ they needed to mobilise more people into the church.
He also condemned gender based violence and appealed to church members to work hard in order to lead the nation peacefully and fairly.
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