A rights‑based organization, the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP), together with several inmates of Boossa Prison, has filed a writ application before the Court of Appeal challenging what they describe as the illegal and continuous deployment of Special Task Force (STF) personnel inside Boossa Prison.
Key Allegations
The petitioners claim that STF officers have permanently stationed themselves inside the prison, regularly conducting searches of prisoners and visitors — including lawyers — and carrying out duties legally vested only in prison officers. These actions, they argue, are:
- Intimidatory towards inmates and visitors
- Ultra vires (beyond legal authority)
- A violation of the Prisons Ordinance, which reserves custodial and administrative duties exclusively for prison officials
- A threat to the institutional independence of the prison system
Failure of Prison Authorities
The application further asserts that prison authorities have abdicated their statutory responsibilities by allowing the STF to operate within the premises and perform routine administrative and security functions.
Legal Foundation Cited
The petition relies heavily on provisions of the Prisons Ordinance, particularly sections 6(2), 10(2), 12, 13, and 33, which outline:
- Authority of the Commissioner General of Prisons
- Legal custody of prisoners
- Management of prison discipline
- The power of prison officers to conduct searches and use necessary force
The petitioners argue these provisions clearly show that routine searches and custodial duties cannot be carried out by the STF.
Supporting Material
The application includes:
- Affidavits from inmates describing STF conduct (marked X1, X2, X3)
- Letters of demand sent to respondents in February 2026 (X4, X5)
- A sketch map of STF deployment locations inside Boossa Prison (X6, X7)
Relief Sought
The petitioners ask the Court to:
- Quash any decisions permitting routine STF presence in prisons (Writ of Certiorari)
- Compel prison authorities to resume their statutory duties under the Prisons Ordinance (Writs of Mandamus)
- Prohibit STF officers from conducting searches or performing prison‑related functions (Writ of Prohibition)
- Issue interim orders preventing the STF from operating inside the prison pending final judgment
They also request costs and any further relief the Court may deem appropriate.