A woman was arrested for trying to smuggle contraband into St Albans Medium B Correctional Centre in the Eastern Cape over the weekend.

According to the Department of Correctional Services, contraband, including dagga, a phone charger, earphones and unauthorised medication, was found on the visitor and confiscated.

The visitor, who is the mother of a prisoner serving a 20-year sentence for serious crimes, allegedly followed her son’s instructions and brought contraband into the prison.

Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed that a member of the public was apprehended while trying to smuggle unauthorised items at St Albans Correctional Centre.

Nxumalo said the incident happened on Saturday at approximately 10.30am during routine searching by officials.

“The incident was registered with the SAPS for a criminal case to be opened, following Section 119 of the Correctional Services Act,” Nxumalo said.

He said a case was opened at Kabega Park Police Station.

Eastern Cape police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge confirmed that a 58-year-old woman was arrested on Saturday.

“It is alleged that she attempted to smuggle contraband in the form of a small amount of dagga, cellphone charger and earphones into St Albans Correctional Facility,” Beetge said.

“A case in terms of Section 119 of the Correctional Services Act was opened and is being investigated by SAPS Kabega Park.”

According to the Correctional Services Act, offence 119, supplying certain articles to offenders, states:

(1) No person may without lawful authority—

(a) supply, convey or cause to be supplied or conveyed to any offender, or hide or place for his or her use any document, intoxicating liquor, dagga, drug, opiate, money, or any other article;

(b) bring or introduce into any correctional centre, or place where offenders may be in custody, any document, intoxicating liquor, dagga, drug, opiate, money, or any other article to be sold or used in the correctional centre; or

(c) bring out of any correctional centre, or convey from any offender any document or other article.

The incident comes a month after the parliamentary portfolio committee on correctional services conducted an oversight visit to correctional facilities in KwaZulu-Natal.

During the oversight, committee chairperson Kgomotso Ramolobeng said the committee was exposed to how inmates smuggled contraband and the systems they use. The committee also witnessed first-hand how inmates use wire and ropes to conjure a conveyor belt to smuggle contraband in correctional services centres.

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za