Namibian Rasta sues gov’t after locs chopped in prison

A Namibian Rastafarian man is suing authorities in the country after he was forced to shave his head following his conviction on a ganja offence, a move he says is a violation of his religious rights.

Brian Jaftha, a Rastafari advocate, is also challenging the constitutionality of an overall directive issued by the commissioner general of the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) mandating that male inmates’ beards must be shaved and their hair remain lower than one centimetre, according to reports from The Namibian.

The country’s minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security, the commissioner general of the NCS, the officer in charge of Windhoek Correctional Facility and three prison officers are all listed on the N$1.3-million (roughly US$78,000) lawsuit.