N/A prison officer arraigned with trafficking

A prison officer attached to the New Amsterdam Prison was on Friday remanded to the said institution after he was arraigned and remanded for allegedly trafficking marijuana and cigarettes into the penitentiary.
Gladwin King, 39, of Lot 331 Fort Ordinance Housing Scheme, Berbice, appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh at the Albion Magistrate’s Court to answer to two charges.
Police stated that on October 3, 2018, at the New Amsterdam Prison, King had in his possession 1032 grams of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. In addition, on the same day, he introduced a prohibited item into the prison; that is to say 19 packets of Pall Mall cigarettes.
The father of six pleaded not guilty to both charges. Police Prosecutor Lance Corporal Shinel Matterson told the court that on the day in question, Police and prison officers viewed CCTV footage which showed King in uniform acting in a suspicious manner.
He was reportedly seen hiding a bag behind the kitchen area. According to the prosecutor, it was later revealed that the bag contained the two items for which he was charged.
It had earlier been reported that Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels discovered that the bag came over the prison fence. King then conspired with prisoners to secure it in the prison kitchen.
Samuels had also related that the prison officer has since admitted to being linked to the prohibited items which he said were to be delivered to a specific prisoner.
Lance Corporal Matterson objected to bail claiming that if granted bail, King is likely not to attend court. Magistrate Singh refused bail and ordered the defendant to return to court on October 22.
The matter had been transferred to the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.