By RASBERT TURNER, STAR WriterSpanish Town:
A 38-YEAR-OLD prison warder at the St. Catherine Adult Correction Centre was arrested last week after he was alleged held with drug at, of all places, the prison.
Devon Haughton, from March Pen Road in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, was arrested after authorities at the maximum security facility, allegedly found ganja, among several other items in his car.
The correctional officer pleaded not guilty when he appeared in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, charged with the possession of ganja.
Allegations before the court are that at about 10:20 a.m. last week Tuesday, Haughton went to the prison where he stayed for a short while. On his way out his car was stopped and searched and a quantity of ganja, two cellular phones, three gallons of watery substance resembling rum, two packs of cigarette and two packs of rizzlas, were found.
The police were summoned and Haughton was taken into custody. Following investigations he was charged by Sergeant Leon Edwards of the Spanish Town Police Station.
In court yesterday Haughton told RM Lorna Gayle that his lawyer, who he said was Roger Davis, was unable to attend court.
He said on the day in question he went to the prison and on the instruction of a senior personnel, he had given out his car to be fixed by inmates.
He said sometime after, he was told to take the car outside and while doing this, another senior personnel approached and informed him that he had found ganja in the rear of the vehicle.
The arresting officer told the court, however, that he was not aware of cars being repaired by inmates at the facility but will investigate.
As a result, the RM extended Haughton's bail until April 27, when he will again appear in court.
