Rastafarian sues prison authorities over forced haircuts
Brian Jaftha is suing prison authorities for nearly N$1.3 million over forced haircuts. He claims that having his dreadlocks cut while serving a jail term violated his religious rights. Jaftha had been growing his hair for about twenty years before becoming an inmate at Windhoek Correctional Facility in October 2023. He testified in the Windhoek High Court that prison officers dismissed his objections. He stated that he did not give his consent for the haircuts.
A rastafarian suing Namibia’s prison authorities for close to N$1.3 million says haircuts he was forced to have while serving a jail term violated his rights, including his right to practise his religion. In testimony heard in the Windhoek High Court on Monday, Windhoek resident Brian Jaftha said his objections to having his hair cut when he became an inmate of Windhoek Correctional Facility in October 2023 were dismissed by prison officers before the dreadlocks he had been growing for about two decades were cut off. Jaftha told acting judge David Mangota he did not give his consent for his