Fourth prison guard remanded over role in contraband scandal

A FOURTH PRISON guard was yesterday arrested and remanded in police custory in an ongoing contraband scandal that has turned the Nicosia Central Prison into a shopping centre for convicts.

The 30-year-old guard was remanded by the Nicosia District Court for six days. The guard who maintains his innocence was implicated in the scandal by a convict who said the guard had been responsible for smuggling over 90 phones into the prison.

Last week a Prison Senior Security Inspector, a Sergeant and a Corporal were also arrested and remanded. Yesterday Deputy Director of Prisons George Tryfonides said that the three have already been placed on a three month suspension.

Mobile phones, chargers and batteries, screwdrivers, pliers and various other tools were found in a locker at the penal complex last week and in the past few days allegations have been made by convicts and ex convicts that guards were peddling the goods to them for a fee.

An ex convict, who since has since been interviewed by the police, claimed during an interview with Sigma TV that he had spent in excess of €17,000 in prison to obtain cell phones and chargers.

In the last few years a total of 357 mobile phones, 35 cards and 40 chargers were discovered in the prison. Tryfonides said “we have insisted that the phones are to be destroyed for security reasons rather than sold at a public auction.”

In a symbolic gesture at the prison Tryfonides demonstrated how the phones were to be destroyed and after removing the batteries of two of the phones he proceeded to smash them with a hammer.

Tryfonides said “I am deeply saddened by all that has happened. My worst fears have been confirmed as it obvious now that prison guards are involved in these events. However you must also keep in mind that just because these four guards have been arrested it does not mean that they are guilty of the charges. We are still investigating.”

Tryfonides had warned prison staff a few days earlier “if they (the prison guards) believe that because we have made some arrests we will stop investigating they are wrong”.

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