SA: St Albans prisoner in hot water after photographs go viral on social media (PICS)
Durban – A prisoner has been charged after his images went viral on social media.
Spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services, Singabakho Nxumalo, said the inmates cellphone was confiscated.
“The Department of Correctional Services has confiscated a mobile phone used by an inmate to flamboyantly post his image on social media.
“The identified inmate is incarcerated at St Albans Correctional facility in the Eastern Cape Region and he has been moved to a Special Care Unit for the purposes of an investigation and will be formally charged,” Nxumalo said.
He said mobile phones were defined as contraband in correctional centres.
“Hence illegal access and usage is a punishable offence.
“The said inmate will also face other charges for tailoring offender uniform as this is against DCS policies.
“DCS is deeply incensed by this behaviour and there shall be strong action and consequences,” he added.
Earlier this year, a prison warder was arrested and contraband confiscated during a raid at the facility.
At the time, Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg, said an early morning stop-and-search operation was conducted for personnel entering and leaving the facility by Gqeberha K9 Unit, the Anti-Gang Unit and the Department of Correctional Service.
Last year, it was reported that prisoners at the facility went on a hunger strike, demanding that conditions at the prison be improved.
According to reports, inmates held a three-day hunger strike over overcrowded cells as well as Covid-19 safety regulations.
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