Also known as: commissioner general Raphael Hamunyela · Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela · Commissioner-General Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela · Commissioner-General · NCS Commissioner-General Raphael Hamunyela · Namibia Correctional Service Commissioner General Raphael Hamunyela · Commissioner-General Raphael Hamunyela
Commissioner-General of the Namibian Correctional Service overseeing rehabilitation, international partnerships, and facility operations across the country.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
New Era
Raphael Hamunyela confirmed female officer allegedly entered bathroom with male inmate
“Namibia Correctional Service (NCS) Commissioner General Raphael Hamunyela confirmed the incident to New Era over the weekend.”
Female correctional officer, inmate caught on cameraNew Era
Raphael Hamunyela stated that officer's actions were illegal
“Hamunyela also stated that the officer's actions were illegal.”
Female correctional officer, inmate caught on cameraThe Namibian
Commissioner general Raphael Hamunyela stated that the purpose of the workshop is to align the organisational structure with the department's strategy and mandate
“"The purpose of this workshop is to align our organisational structure with the department's strategy and mandate," commissioner general Raphael Hamunyela, says in a statement released on Tuesday.”
Correctional service reviews organisational structure after five yearsNew Era
NCS Commissioner General Raphael Hamunyela was unable to attend the launch as he was attending State funeral of Mathias Kanana Hishoono
“NCS Commissioner General Raphael Hamunyela was unable to attend as he was attending the State funeral of late liberation struggle hero Mathias Kanana Hishoono.”
SDA, NCS strengthen rehab tiesNew Era
Raphael Hamunyela said correctional facility's main responsibility is keeping everyone in custody safe.
“He said their main responsibility at the correctional facility is to keep everyone in their custody safe.”
Namibia’s LGBTQ+ prison paradoxInformanté
Commissioner-General Raphael Hamunyela said meaningful development can only be realised when communities are actively involved and supportive of national programmes
“THE Commissioner-General of the Namibia Correctional Service (NCS), Raphael Hamunyela, said that meaningful development can only be realised when communities are actively involved and supportive of national programmes.”
Meaningful development requires active community participation — HamunyelaNamibia and South Africa have signed an agreement to allow mutual transfer of sentenced prisoners between the countries, but transfers cannot occur until South Africa passes enabling legislation expected by mid-2027. Namibia has already finalised its side of the arrangement.
21 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia and South Africa have signed an agreement to allow mutual transfer of sentenced prisoners between the countries, but transfers cannot occur until South Africa passes enabling legislation expected by mid-2027. Namibia has already finalised its side of the arrangement.
21 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian Correctional Service is hosting a five-day benchmarking visit from the Botswana Prison Service from 15 to 19 June 2026, focusing on offender rehabilitation, health services, and correctional management strategies to strengthen cooperation and institutional learning between the two countries.
19 June 2026 · Informanté →
Commissioner-General Raphael Hamunyela visited the Gobabis Correctional Facility to focus on operational efficiency, staff welfare, and administrative matters, engaging with officers on challenges affecting service delivery as part of the NCS's effort to elevate standards across all correctional facilities.
6 June 2026 · Informanté →
Windhoek High Court acting judge David Mangota overturned restrictions at Windhoek Correctional Facility that reduced inmate study hours from six to two hours per day and prevented inmates of different security classifications from studying together. The court ruled that the restrictions were applied too strictly and were not properly justified, restoring the previous study arrangements for inmates enrolled in distance learning programmes.
12 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Former inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga says the failure to detect a man who entered the presidential residence last week exposed weaknesses across the police chain of command. The breach has fuelled speculation about the status of police inspector general Joseph Shikongo and raised questions about the VIP Protection Unit's head Michael Abraham.
5 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Home affairs minister Lucia Iipumbu urged newly graduated correctional officers to treat inmates with dignity and warned against abuse of power at the 32nd Basic Training Graduation Ceremony, where 399 recruits graduated. The Namibian Correctional Service operates at about 30% of its required staff and faces pressure from shortages, ageing facilities, and lack of specialists.
5 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia Correctional Service commissioner general Raphael Hamunyela said the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders is a shared responsibility requiring active community involvement. At a community advisory committee meeting in Omaruru, he highlighted the committees' roles in monitoring facilities, advising on operations, and connecting offenders with employers and support services, citing successes including securing funding for inmates, paying fines to enable release, and facilitating training programmes.
8 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian Correctional Service has deepened its international engagement through partnerships with organisations including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Corrections and Prisons Association, and achieved an 82% implementation rate of its Annual Plan in the 2025/2026 financial year, according to Commissioner-General Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela.
27 March 2026 · Informanté →
The Namibian Correctional Service Commissioner-General has inspected the maize plantation at Divundu Correctional Facility in Kavango East, which cultivates 120.7 hectares. The NCS operates farms to rehabilitate inmates, provide skills training, and reduce feeding costs through food self-sufficiency.
26 March 2026 · Informanté →
Eighteen inmates at Windhoek Correctional Facility have sued the head of educational services after their daily study hours were reduced from six to two, arguing the decision violates the Correctional Service Act's rehabilitation objectives and was made without proper written directive or consultation.
18 March 2026 · New Era →
The Commissioner-General of the Namibian Correctional Service visited Katima Mulilo Correctional Facility to assess progress on seven centre-pivot irrigation systems being installed on farmland in the Zambezi Region, with completion targeted for end of March or early April. He urged staff at the facility to prioritize teamwork and collaboration for organizational success.
15 March 2026 · Informanté →
A delegation from Zambia's Correctional Service is in Namibia for a benchmarking visit on the Offender Risk Management Correctional Strategy, in line with resolutions from the Zambia-Namibia Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security. The visit includes facility tours and aims to strengthen collaboration between the two countries' correctional services.
4 March 2026 · Informanté →
The Namibian Correctional Service is attempting to relocate the four Fishrot-accused inmates from single cells to communal cells at Windhoek Correctional Facility, citing security and operational concerns. The move comes after a High Court judge recently ruled that a similar relocation was unlawful because the accused were not given a fair hearing, and the accused have warned they will return to court if the new notice proceeds.
1 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The Commissioner-General of the Namibian Correctional Service said the Service's work encompasses transformation and rehabilitation, not just punishment. He highlighted the 2008 implementation of the Offender Risk Management Correctional Strategy as evidence-based and central to the NCS's mission.
1 March 2026 · Informanté →
Namibia and Angola met to verify and facilitate the transfer of over 100 inmates in Namibian prisons who claim Angolan nationality. Under a 2022 bilateral agreement on prisoner transfers, 107 Angolan nationals have applied to serve the remainder of their sentences in Angola, though only 17 possess the required national identification documents.
19 February 2026 · Informanté →
Police regional commanders have rejected calls from HIV-AIDS activists to distribute condoms in police holding cells and prisons, where 24 cases of sodomy or rape involving inmates have been recorded since 2023/24, saying such provision would only encourage further offences. Health advocates and civil society organisations counter that condom access is a harm reduction and public health measure, noting that sexual violence occurs in detention facilities and that denying preventive tools does not stop such activity but only increases disease transmission.
18 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibia Correctional Service is reviewing its organisational structure to align with departmental strategy and improve efficiency. NCS Commissioner-General Raphael Hamunyela stated the review aims to reduce bureaucracy, strengthen coordination across functions, ensure appropriate staffing capacity, and improve security and service delivery—framing it as continuous improvement rather than a fault-finding exercise.
6 February 2026 · Informanté →
A female officer at Windhoek Correctional Facility has been suspended and is under investigation after being seen on CCTV entering a bathroom with a male inmate in violation of facility rules. The Namibia Correctional Service commissioner said the outcome of the investigation will determine whether the officer is dismissed.
3 February 2026 · New Era →
The Namibian Correctional Service held a four-day workshop to review its organisational structure, which has been in place since April 2020. The review aims to clarify roles, reduce duplication and bureaucracy, and improve coordination between key functions including security, rehabilitation, and human resources.
3 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has deepened its partnership with the Namibian Correctional Service to rehabilitate inmates through spiritual guidance, counselling, and religious instruction, with the NCS commissioner noting that faith-based engagement has helped create calmer correctional environments and improved inmate behaviour. The partnership also includes training correctional officers in counselling, behaviour control, and leadership, while emphasising the importance of community support for former offenders to prevent reoffending.
29 January 2026 · New Era →
Namibia's correctional service and police rely on sex-based housing classifications for detainees, with no specific law or publicly available policy addressing how transgender individuals should be accommodated. Human rights activists warn that LGBTQ+ detainees face discrimination and heightened risks of abuse, and call for comprehensive intake assessments, gender-affirming care, staff training, and confidentiality protections.
28 January 2026 · New Era →
The Namibian Correctional Services denies nepotism claims in the hiring of Leefa Shikongo's daughter, stating she met all requirements for a hairdresser position after scoring 84% on written and practical assessments, and holds a Health Caregiver certificate.
16 January 2026 · Informanté →
The Commissioner-General of the Namibia Correctional Service said that meaningful development requires active community participation, highlighting the successful completion of a facility clinic in Kunene Region thanks to collaboration with local traditional leaders and community members.
6 January 2026 · Informanté →