Prison officer, inmates charged with possession of contraband

News Newsday Reporter 18 Hrs Ago

Golden Grove Prison, Arouca. -

Police have charged ten inmates and a prison officer with possession of contraband items.

In a statement, police said an operation on November 21 at the remand prison at Golden Grove and the Maximum Security Prison, Arouca, led to the arrest of ten prisoners who were allegedly found with prohibited items.

On that same day, prison officer Zane Maynard, assigned to the Maximum Security Prison, appeared before an Arima High Court Master Lisa Singh-Phillip on a charge of being in possession of marijuana and prohibited items on November 12. Maynard was granted bail in the sum of $200,000 and ordered to report to the Arouca Police Station every Saturday between 6 am and 8pm.

On November 14, police arrested a food vendor at the Port of Spain General Hospital in connection with sending prohibited items at the Port of Spain Prison.

The vendor, Terry-Ann De Leon pleaded not guilty in court.

The operation at the prison was led by Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro, acting Commissioner of Prisons Hayden Forde, and included Deputy police commissioner Suzette Martin, Snr Supt Raymond Thom and ASP Stanley.

Officers attached to the Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations team; Ag Cpl. Williams, Ag Cpl Hyde, WPC Joseph, PC Gibson, PC Fabres, PC Parsons and PC Stanley laid charges against the inmates.

Some of the inmates were charges with additional offences as they refused to be fingerprinted, police said. They are expected to appear before a High Court Master on November 24.