An inmate who was serving a 34-year sentence for murder inside the Windhoek Correctional Facility died on Tuesday.
Inmates claim that Ryno du Preez (36) had been consistently complaining about having difficulty with his breathing, but was not attended to on time.
Namibian Correctional Services spokesperson, commissioner Sam Shaalulange, confirmed that Du Preez was declared dead on arrival at the Katutura State Hospital.
Shaalunlange also refuted that there was negligence on the part of prion officials, as they attended to Du Preez immediately after he collapsed.
“There was a unit search going on, so when he collapsed, he was immediately rushed to the prison clinic, and was later taken to the Katutura hospital and was declared dead upon arrival,” he said.
The commissioner also highlighted that Du Preez suffered from hypertension.
Du Preez and his ex-lover Rachel Rittman were convicted and sentenced in 2019 of murdering her husband, Rudolph, at Gobabis in August 2013.