Five people, including a supervisor of the Baie-Mahault penitentiary center, in Guadeloupe, were indicted on Wednesday February 16 as part of an investigation for corruption, said Patrick Desjardins, public prosecutor of Pointe-à-Pitre, in a press release. He announced on Monday that five people had been taken into custody – including “three inmates and two supervisors of the penitentiary center” – following a gendarmerie operation launched that day.
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These individuals were brought before the investigating judge, according to the press release, which specified that they had been indicted for “counts of illicit delivery and concealment of delivery to detainees of prohibited objects”. They “were all placed under judicial supervision following the interrogations at first appearance”specified the prosecutor, adding that the prison supervisor was now prohibited from practicing this profession but also “to report to the Baie-Mahault prison center and the surrounding area”.
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A sixth suspect, also a prison guard, “was placed under assisted witness status”, explained Patrick Desjardins. The judicial information, opened several weeks ago for alleged acts of “active and passive corruption” from and by “persons vested with public authority”, continues. The investigation would have already shown that a “OK” would have been passed between the individuals in order to bring “especially” cell phones and drugs in the penitentiary centre. “Further investigations will be carried out”said the public prosecutor on Wednesday.