Time to investigate the CS

 For some time now the people have been wondering why certain prisoners seem to have far more privileges than others.

We have reports of certain prisoners doing automated teller machine (ATM) transactions, apparently under warder escort, and even guided tours of the bars around Port Moresby.

Now we are told that the Correctional Services has been deeply compromised.

There are serious allegations of sexual impropriety by married senior officers, both senior and junior, which is having a tremendous impact on morale in the services because what is going on is an open secret.

It now impinges upon prison security and the security of prisoners, a report reveals.

We learn, for instance, that there have been sexual relations between prisoners and warders and that this has been facilitated and witnessed by others.

We learn now that the murder weapon used in the killing of prisoner Shane Aitsi in January might have been smuggled in to the killers by a female warder.

A mobile phone was on route to William Nanua Kapris in a medical box along with niceties such as betel nuts and other accessories when it was intercepted by security.

A senior officer and a female warder were allegedly caught literally with their pants down by Kapris’ accomplices who demanded the release of Kapris from prison.

Just released remandees, who were held as accomplices of Kapris but whom the court could not find any evidence against them, were escorted by female warders to a drinking place where an all night binge and orgy followed, according to our report yesterday.

This seems to finally explain why the PNG prison system seems to have been operating an “open door” policy, and why there have been so many escapes.

The service has been seriously compromised if we are to go by the report that has been made available to us by one brave officer who has taken the fall for his action.

We must demand nothing less than an inquiry into the security of our prisons and to investigate the allegations contained in the reports.

We tend to agree with CS Commissioner Martin Balthazar that the majority of warders around the country are hardworking and se­rious about their role.

But we put the question to the commissioner: Are the reports actioned? Are they being listened to?

These are questions the commissioner must answer, not to us but to his own charges.

The reports or “allegations” as he would prefer, are very serious, serious enough to warrant an investigation.

Already, back on Dec 31, 2011, an investigation re-port was sent to the Correctional Services headquarters raising the issue of “Conspiracy and Sexual Relationship to destroy and kill prisoner William Nanua Kapris”.

The report had then exposed the sexual relations between a female warder and Kapris.

A media conference was held by the CS commissioner detailing some of the contents of the report.

Kapris’ flight to freedom this time around was aided and abetted, we suspect, again by warders.

This just cannot be allowed to continue.

As the CS whistleblower puts so aptly, why should the state spend K50 million to go after, time and again, a bank robber? 

Why should the police waste time, energy and resources to go after this one criminal when it would appear his escape might have been assisted by members of the CS?