By FRANCIS JOSEPH
A Male and Female Prison Officer, along with an inmate, will appear in court on Thursday on a number of charges relating to an attempt to smuggle contraband items into the Golden Grove Prison, Arouca.
This is the latest in a string of incidents of contraband smuggling and attempts by prison officers to smuggle items into the prisons.
The acting Prisons Commissioner, Elvin Scanterbury, has been on a crusade to stamp out rogue prison officers.
According to reports, on August 24, a female Prison Officer was searched by officers at the Golden Grove Prison, after she attempted to enter the premises with quantities of cannabis, cigarettes and other contraband items.
She was later handed over to members of the Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations Team, who started a three-week long investigation.
Those investigations resulted in the arrest of a male Prison Officer on August 28.
A male inmate currently on remand for murder was also identified as a third suspect in the matter. The investigative team is also looking at other suspects.
On September 14, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) gave advice to charge the three persons with the following offences:
The three suspects are to be jointly charged with Conspiracy to Introduce Prohibited Articles into the Golden Grove Prison, Arouca.
The female prison officer is to be charged with:
1. Trafficking in a dangerous drug namely Cannabis,
2. Introducing Prohibited Articles into the Golden Grove Prison, and,
3. Bringing into the Golden Grove Prison, Prohibited Articles intended for a named inmate.
The male prison officer faces charges of:
1. Misbehaviour in Public Office by conspiring with two named suspects to Introduce Prohibited Articles into the Golden Grove Prison,
2. Misbehaviour in Public Office by allowing to be brought into the Golden Grove Prison, Arouca, Prohibited Articles, and,
3. Allowing Prohibited Articles to be brought into the Golden Grove Prison, Arouca.
The murder accused is to face charges of:
1. Being in Possession of Prohibited Articles,
2. Causing another person to bring Prohibited Articles into the Golden Grove Prison,
3. Transmitting sounds from inside a Prison to a named suspect,
4. Transmitting sounds from inside a Prison to a named suspect,
5. Refusing to have fingerprints taken.
The operation was coordinated by Deputy Commissioner of Police, ‘Operations’ Suzette Martin and involved personnel from the DCP Operations Team, including ASP Stanley, Cpl Williams, Cpl Hyde, WPCs Joseph and Sampson and PCs Stanley, Gibson and De Leon.
Also assisting in the investigations were officers attached to the Inter-Agency Task Force, led by Sgt. Maharaj, Prison Officers attached to the Prison Emergency Response Unit and PIT, the Fusion Centre, the Cyber Crime Unit led by Sgt. Walker and the Crime Scene Unit.
Legal advice was given by Supt. Rajesh Lal and ASP Mungaroo.
