Investigation Underway Into National Peace Programme Funding Allocation by Senior Prison Officer

The Attorney General’s Office, under which the National Peace Programme falls, is carrying out investigations into the granting of thousands of dollars to a senior prison officer for a rehabilitation/ intervention programme for former inmates.

Sources told the Sunday Sun that the officer received $150 000 from the National Peace Programme but has not been able to account for the spending of some $95 000.

The National Peace Programme was conceptualised by Corey Lane, Minister of State in the Attorney General’s Office with responsibility for Crime Prevention, to help at-risk youth. It was initially given an injection of $2 million to organise programmes for troubled youth. Charities, community groups and sports organisations could also access funding for youth-centred initiatives.

Investigations revealed that the senior prison officer was recently summoned to a meeting to account for the spending and advised of the possibility of the matter being transferred to the police.

“A senior prison officer . . . got involved with the Peace Programme and he got money for some intervention with former inmates. First of all, it is against the law for prison officers to be involved with prisoners on the outside of prison, so I find it strange that Government would give any prison officer money to do a programme with former inmates,” Franklyn stated. (MB)