The LRF Newsletter

He was arrested on 21st September 1994 in Chipata where he was doing business. He was charged with being found in possession of a forged passport and visa.

He was transferred from Chipata to Lusaka. He was however never caused to appear before a court.

LRF intern, Mabvuto Sakala, said Dlamini had committed an offence hence he needed to be heard in court, which did not happen.

He said his detention was therefore illegal. Dlamini was identified in prison by a Catholic Priest, David Cullen, who tried to help him.

Father Cullen referred his case to LRF in May 1999. LRF interviewed Dlamini and found that he was a South African from Alexandra Township in Johannesburg. He then gave them his address and phone numbers but when the Foundation tried to contact his parents, they failed.

LRF also got in touch with the immigration office and talked to Mr Muyunda who is responsible for prisons and he assured the LRF that as soon as Dlamini’s nationality was established he would be deported. He also advised LRF to get in touch with the South African Embassy.

LRF got in touch with the Embassy that sent a person to see Dlamini and interviewed him and information was sent to South Africa but no facts were found about him.

The Embassy took Dlamini’s fingerprints and sent them to South Africa for verification.

Since he did not get any documents from there, no information was obtained.

LRF then sought to apply for a writ of Habeas Corpus. The day that Sakala took the affidavit for him to sign, he was greeted by Dlamini’s death.

Sources in prison revealed that the South African Embassy told the prison authorities to give Dlaminis body to the University Teaching Hospital to be used for education purposes.

They said Dlaminis name appeared in the daily Newspapers as one of the unclaimed bodies.

The sources said at least two prisoners die every week of suspected TB.

Some die without their cases being heard, as was the case with Dlamini.