The Ministry of Home Affairs, in a statement today, announced that some prison officers have been disciplined as investigations continue into the discovery of drugs and a number of other contraband items at the Lusignan Prison.
According to the statement, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn was recently briefed by Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels of the incident which occurred on November 17.
It was reported that about 14:50 hours on the day in question, two prisoners, under the supervision of a prison officer, were transporting four bread bins from the prison’s kitchen to the Holding Bay when the Gate Officer on duty conducted a search and unearthed a number of prohibited items.
Among those discovered are 553 grams of marijuana, 15 cartons of cigarette, five lighters, four packs of gum, and a quantity of alcohol inclusive of rum, vodka and wine.
The Police Force has since been called in to investigate.
According to the Home Affairs Ministry, three prison officers are “under specific investigation with respect to this incident”.
The Ministry noted too that while the police investigations are ongoing, the officers have been charged “departmentally for neglect of duty”.
“However, these departmental charges will in no way prevent these Officers being charged criminally if the investigations find they were involved in the illegal act,” the Ministry said.
