A prison guard is under investigation for surreptitiously passing sweets and squid shreds to a prisoner during breakfast on Tuesday without seeking permission from his superiors, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said at a regular press conference yesterday.
The 38-year-old local suspect surnamed Ip has worked as a prison guard since 2007.
According to Lei, the Correctional Services Bureau (DSC) reported to the Judiciary Police on Tuesday that a prison guard abused his power during work earlier that day after checking surveillance footage.
Lei said according to the footage Ip put several facemasks on top of the sweets and a few packets of squid shreds when he passed them to the inmate, a personal friend of his, during breakfast. PJ officers went to the prison in Coloane to investigate. They found the sweets and squid shreds hidden under the inmate’s pillow.
According to Lei, Ip joined the Correctional Services Bureau in 2007. He and the inmate became friends in 2004 when Ip still worked as a casino dealer. Lei said the inmate was sentenced to jail in February for usury, possession of prohibited weapons and drug-taking paraphernalia.
The prisoner told the PJ officer that he had asked Ip for the “treats” as he was feeling dizzy.
Lei said Ip admitted to passing the sweets and snacks to his friend, claiming that he had not received any money from the latter.
Ip faces an abuse of power charge and the case was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday for follow-up investigation.
Meanwhile, the Correctional Service Bureau (DSC) said in a statement yesterday that an internal disciplinary investigation procedure has been launched and Ip was suspended from his duties yesterday. The bureau stresses that it always takes its staff’s moral integrity and law-abidingness very seriously. The bureau reaffirmed that any act in breach of the law or regulations will be punished “solemnly” and not be tolerated.
