Rare pictures of an inmate within the confines of Dodds Prison resurfaced yesterday, prompting the minister responsible for the St Philip penal institution to call for a report on the matter.
The pictures posted on Instagram showed the young murder convict wearing dark short pants and a white armhole shirt, also known as a “wife beater”, while in what appears to be a recreational area.
The images appeared on an account bearing the same surname as the prisoner and were shared around on the gossip sites.
Superintendent of Prisons DeCarlo Payne told the DAILY NATION that the pictures were not new and had been in his “gallery” since March 12 this year.
“Certain actions were already taken to address this matter since March 2026. So this is not something which occurred recently,” he said.
When pressed about the “certain actions”, Payne said he preferred not to comment on what the actions were in the “interest of national security”.
However, Minister of Home Affairs Gregory Nicholls said he had seen the circulating pictures on social media and has asked for a report to be sent to him as soon as possible.
Appropriate action
“The appropriate action will be taken once we have all of the facts gathered,” he said.
Nicholls could not say who was at fault for a breach that allowed photographs to be taken in the prison, insisting that question and others being asked were operational issues for which he would not have the information.
“Once the report comes in, it will be studied and the appropriate action will be taken within the bounds of the laws. As always, I treat these matters very seriously,” the minister said.
However, a legal source who preferred not to have his name revealed said the matter was a serious breach of the rules. The Prison Act and Prison Rules govern officers and their relationships with prisoners.
“Obviously, this is a breach of the code of conduct and such a serious breach, it could have severe consequences, leading to disciplinary action or charge if it is someone on staff,” he said.
Now, he added, would be a good time to put other systems in place and beef up security at the lone prison, including banning cellphones there since they were difficult to monitor.
The source referred to instances where inmates made calls but a third party could be added from the outside. ( AC)