A terrible and shocking accident in prison left one inmate severely burned after he mistakenly plunged into a pot of boiling porridge while helping with food at Migori GK Prison, which led to the evacuation of medical staff and an immediate investigation into the use of inmate labor.
The spectacular incident took place on Thursday morning and revealed the weaknesses in the prison’s security and safety measures.
Officials who know the case closely said that the inmate was given kitchen duty, and due to his misstep, he ended up in the huge pot of hot porridge that was being prepared for the prison. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with the staff and other inmates running to help the victim get out of the boiling liquid before calling for an ambulance.
The prison management stated that the burned inmate had suffered serious skin injuries on the body parts that were caught in the burning porridge. He was soon sent to a local hospital, where doctors are repairing his condition, which is now described as critical yet stable.
The name of the patient has not been made public by the prison yet because of the privacy and security rules, however, it has been confirmed that he is an adult male without a violent offence convict.
The occurrence has raised instant alarm bells among the prison reform advocates who contend that the application of inmates in unsupervised or dangerous jobs without sufficient protection poses the vulnerability people at risk status unacceptably.
“This situation showcases the dire necessity of changing the way prison labor is managed and overseen,” commented one human rights expert. “No one, irrespective of their incarcerated status, should face a life-threatening peril as a result of the daily operations in the prison.”
The County Prisons Officer of Migori issued a short announcement recognizing the mishap and promising the society that a comprehensive inquiry has been initiated to find out the reason and pinpoint the areas where safety compliance was not followed.
The announcement further mentioned that the facility’s kitchen and work details will receive additional training and stricter supervision protocols immediately.
Community leaders in the area have demanded the probe be conducted openly and have raised the issue of how proper safety measures and protocols could not be used. Moreover, they have asked the authorities to reconsider the policies on the use of prisoners for labor to avert the occurrence of similar incidents in the future.
Both the National Police Service and the Kenya Prisons Service are deemed to issue updates regularly as the probe goes on and the injured inmate’s health is observed. The occurrence has raised a lot of questions regarding the accountability and the well-being of the inmates in the correctional facilities as it continues to attract attention.
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