Wasn’t this something Labour told us only happened in private run prisons?
Where is Kelvin Davis when you need him? Quote:
The Corrections Chief Inspector has been called in to review a potential cover-up at Rimutaka Prison after a secret report revealing inappropriate relationships a female staffer was having with both a convicted murderer and a manager.
The staffer gave a love-note to the inmate written on a pink piece of paper cut into the shape of a heart.
“Everything will be okay in the end, and if it’s not okay then it’s not the end,” she wrote in the note.
Beneath the message, she put the prisoner’s parole date.
The details are contained in a leaked report which Corrections had refused to release under the Official Information Act.
The prisoner alleges he lost in-house employment after witnessing the staffer being fondled by a manager at the prison.
The inmate’s lawyer, Michael Bott, has called for a ministerial inquiry into the “deliberate and concerted attempt” by senior Corrections officials to cover-up corrupt behaviour by its staff.
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis refused an interview. End quote.
Looks like Kelvin is back in witless protection. But seriously, he was all over this sort of stuff when in Opposition. Now that he is the minister he is missing in action. Quote:
In a four line statement he confirmed the Corrections Chief Inspector would review the matter.
The revelations come as misconduct and a strained prison system is exposed.
Elite guards at Christchurch Men’s Prison were caught spying on inmates using unauthorised listening devices, and at least 30 guards failed to show up to work at Auckland’s Paremoremo Prison last weekend due to violent attacks from inmates.
The leaked report, prepared by Correction’s Integrity Support Team and viewed by Stuff this week, is the latest development in an untidy saga at Rimutaka Prison in Upper Hutt.
Corrections commissioned an initial report into the matter about the inmate’s dismissal, that vindicated staff and blamed “over familiarisation” on the inmate.
However the leaked report stated the inmate was a credible witness and described the staffer as “inconsistent and evasive”. End quote.
A bit like the minister responsible: sneaky, inconsistent and evasive.
What next? Fight clubs in state-run prisons?