Askari - Betrayal in the City Characterization and Role

Askari is a prison warder and is mandated to keep watch over Jere and Mosese.

Cruel/intimidating

Even though Jere was once a soldier like him, he threatens to teach him a lesson or two if Jere calls him his friend again.

He also warns Jere that he has once killed a man in that very cell

Hypocritical

He tells Jere that they are giving consideration to his future ‘despite his contribution to the national headache.’ He pretends to be doing Jere a favour and says he should be filling in forms for his rehabilitation.

He says that experts have to be called in to give meaning to data collected in the various research centres that the government has put up and which show that rehabilitation of prisoners is invaluable.
He goes ahead to say that this is not the type of work ‘any of these local pretenders would handle.’