Former prison inmate badly affected by torture, court told

SUICIDAL thoughts, sleepless nights and impaired mobility are just some of the long-lasting effects of the alleged mass torture on prisoners during July 2005.

An occupational therapist who assessed the first of 231 plaintiffs in the multimillion- rand civil case against Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha, said Xolani Siko was still highly traumatised by the alleged assaults.

Siko was one of thousands of inmates at St Albans Prison's maximum security section to allegedly be assaulted by warders following the murder of unit manager Banini Nqakula.

The prison was allegedly placed under lockdown between July 16 and 20 2005, during which time prisoners claimed they were beaten with batons and shock shields and had guard dogs set on them. - Kathryn Kimberley