Sex escapade in prison probed
31 July 2010, 08:43
By Nondumiso Mbuyazi
Investigations are under way to determine whether an alleged sexual escapade between a notorious gang leader and a senior female warder at a KwaZulu-Natal prison was a once-off incident or an "ongoing phenomenon", the Department of Correctional Services said yesterday.
Spokesman Phumlani Ximiya said the department was seriously concerned about the allegation that the senior woman warder at Kokstad maximum prison had had sex with the man.
The reports surfaced this week after the pair were caught on CCTV camera. It is alleged that the warder had opened the electric control gates to gain access to the convict's cell after she allegedly drugged an official operating the cameras.
The camera operator subsequently fell asleep after consuming the drug, and when he woke up, he realised that the gate was open.
Upon noticing that the warder was still inside the cell, the operator allegedly pressed the button to lock the gates until the morning.
The warder was able to get out of the gang leader's cell only the next morning. She allegedly got into her car and tried to commit suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide from the car's exhaust. She was rushed to hospital after her friends saw her in the car.
A senior official at the prison was quoted as saying sexual relationships between warders and convicts were almost a daily occurrence, with convicts offering female warders up to R1 000 in exchange for sexual favours.
Ximiya yesterday said the warder involved in the "shenanigans" had since been served with a suspension.
"The department wishes to put on record that after the investigations have been finalised, severe penalties will be meted out to all those found to have compromised the image of the department."
Investigations are under way to determine whether an alleged sexual escapade between a notorious gang leader and a senior female warder at a KwaZulu-Natal prison was a once-off incident or an "ongoing phenomenon", the Department of Correctional Services said yesterday.
Spokesman Phumlani Ximiya said the department was seriously concerned about the allegation that the senior woman warder at Kokstad maximum prison had had sex with the man.
The reports surfaced this week after the pair were caught on CCTV camera. It is alleged that the warder had opened the electric control gates to gain access to the convict's cell after she allegedly drugged an official operating the cameras.
The camera operator subsequently fell asleep after consuming the drug, and when he woke up, he realised that the gate was open.
Upon noticing that the warder was still inside the cell, the operator allegedly pressed the button to lock the gates until the morning.
The warder was able to get out of the gang leader's cell only the next morning. She allegedly got into her car and tried to commit suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide from the car's exhaust. She was rushed to hospital after her friends saw her in the car.
A senior official at the prison was quoted as saying sexual relationships between warders and convicts were almost a daily occurrence, with convicts offering female warders up to R1 000 in exchange for sexual favours.
Ximiya yesterday said the warder involved in the "shenanigans" had since been served with a suspension.
"The department wishes to put on record that after the investigations have been finalised, severe penalties will be meted out to all those found to have compromised the image of the department."
- This article was originally published on page 2 of Saturday Star on July 31, 2010
Durban
