Prisoner found with mandrax inside cell

PRISON authorities in the Eastern Cape have launched an urgent internal investigation after a prisoner was caught with 20 mandrax tablets inside his cell.

The inmate was caught during an operation carried out by the South African Police Services members in collaboration with prison officials at the notorious Mthatha Correctional Centre on Monday.

Mthatha police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela confirmed the arrest saying the raid was part of regular operations to combat the scourge of dangerous weapons inside prisons.

“We have discovered that a lot is not well in prisons. It is common knowledge that inmates have knives and guns that they hide from authorities.”

The 28-year-old inmate was sentenced to 18 years in jail for rape and indecent assault in 2012, according to department of correctional services provincial spokesman Zama Feni.

He said the department was still shocked that an inmate had managed to smuggle drugs into the prison.

“We are conducting an internal probe to ascertain if any of our officials were involved. The outcome of our investigation will determine the course of action to be taken.”

Although he was unable to provide the exact value of the mandrax found on the inmate, a single mandrax tablet normally sold for R100 on the street.

This is the second time in the space of a few months that a prisoner at the Mthatha-based facility has been arrested after four prisoners were caught after the discovery of two knives and a .38 special revolver inside the cells during a similar raid. — sikhon @dispatch.co.za