Prison officers disciplined after inmates busted with contraband at Lusignan
Some of the cigarettes found in the bins
Almost one month after the discovery of a quantity of prohibited items at the Lusignan penitentiary, the Home Affairs Minister was brief on the situation. The contraband items were found hidden in bread bins/containers on November 17, 2020.
Based on the report from Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, on the day in question at about 14:50h, two prisoners, under the supervision of a prison officer, were transporting four bread bins from the prison’s kitchen to the holding bay.
However, a search was conducted on the items by a gate officer during which the prohibited items were found.
Some of the contraband items
Among them were 553 grams of ganja, a quantity of “Fronto” leaves, one cartoon “slow burner”, 10 packs of “Bamboo”, a quantity of small ziplock bags, 15 cartons of cigarette, five lighters, one cellular phone charger, four packs of Winterfresh gum, one tropical mist water bottle containing five-year-old rum, one tropical mist water bottle containing Guinness, one small bottle vodka and one bottle hard wine.
Following the discovery, the police were called in and an investigation was launched.
In addition, three prison officers are under specific investigation with respect to the incident.
While the police investigations are continuing, three prison officers have been charged departmentally for neglect of duty.
Meanwhile, the departmental charges will in no way prevent the officers from being charged criminally if the investigations find they were involved in the illegal act.
