Probe into abuse in jail

A STATE lawyer is looking into a complaint from inmates at Beon Prison, in Madang, about how they were beaten and treated on Dec 26 last year.
Seth Tanei, a senior legal officer with the Public Solicitors Office, said he was working on a report he received on how the 100 prisoners at Beon were stripped, beaten and abused.
He said he had talked to prison officers on Monday regarding the complaints raised by the inmates.
He said he would seek compensation from the State on behalf of the prisoners for the breach of constitutional and human rights.
Tanei said all the inmates who won their respective human rights cases had been transferred.
He said court had already ordered the State to compensate five prisoners more than K100,000. More cases are still in court.
CIS commander Tita Wada could not be contacted.
An inmate who requested anonymity said a group of prison officers from Port Moresby ordered them to strip before they were beaten and abused on their private parts.
He said the Port Moresby prison officers burnt their clothes, certificates, Bibles and other personal belongings.
“I want to let Madang resident Judge, Justice David Cannings know that all of us transferred out were witnesses to the human rights cases currently at the Madang National Court and this would be the possible reason why we were transferred out,” he said.