Page 25 - KPA AUG 03, 2015
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Prison guards earn thousands of
dollars in illegal trading in KIA
ANYONE who wants to tackle corruption within the someone wants to come and put things in order,» nothing, but really nothing to do in here.”
Ospino said.
Correction Institute Aruba (KIA)will be eliminated as Mrs. Charlene Oduber also claims to have been “elimi-
soon as possible. WAR nated” from KIA because she wanted to put things in
And this makes sense too; some workers earn thou- order.
sands of dollars per month on the black market within Last month, mrs. Trudy Hassell was put out of her role “So much is being smuggled in KIA and there are also
the prison walls. as prison warden by Justice Minister Arthur Dowers af- images to prove it. However, it is difficult to tackle the
This is what inmate John Span Ospino (35) wrote in a ter an investigation led by an independent committee. problem because people are scared.
letter from his maximum-security cell in KIA. The committee concluded that a ‘serious situation’ I’m not just talking about prison guards and security
occurred between KIA personnel and Hassell. Inmate guards but also employees with a higher position in
Previous KIA manager Charlene Oduber confirms his Ospino Span saw that coming. the organization,” declared mrs.Oduber.
story. “I was offered money to keep quiet.” He said: “They openly started a war against the Iron O duber was not happy with the situation because she
Anyone who wants to tackle corruption, including Lady. I warned her. She was a threat to the corruption suspected that there were people working in positions
former director Trudy Hassell, is ‹bad business› for both within KIA and created a risk. “ without any proper training.
guards and prisoners, explained Ospino. “I think there was falsification of diplomas but as soon
«We›re talking about serious money, sometimes ten Ospino span has been convicted to eight years in prison as I asked for an investigation, I had to go.”
thousand florins per man per month. for leading a criminal organization.
For prison guards and CHAOS
some prisoners, it is Ospino was placed in the maximum-security
not much ap- cell (EBI) after an escape attempt. Justice Minister Arthur Dowers knows that illegal
preciated “I know everything about corrup- money is being earned within the prison walls.
when tion. Before I landed in the EBI, Mrs. Charlene Oduber declared: “I can only assume
I had not one, not two but at that the guilty party would be satisfied if KIA remains
least three phones in my a chaos.I can also be sure of that anyone who would
possession.” try to put things in order in KIA would rather be seen
According to Ospino, gone. But I do not think they actually have the power
drugs and phones are to make that happen.”
important to the de-
tainees. “I believe that Minister Dowers wants to tackle cor-
“It’s the only way ruption. If we are not able to eradicate or prevent it,
to fight boredom it will go on for a long time,” concluded mrs.Oduber.
because there’s
4 LOCAL Monday, August 3 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER
