Prison murder irony Inmate kills warder hours after int'l community flays Jamaica over penal system abuse

Saturday, November 14, 2020

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File Photo: Behind bars

than 48 hours after Jamaica was flayed by representatives of several countries over its treatment of people in the penal system, the reverse played out at St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre yesterday. This time it was a warder who was stabbed to death, allegedly by an inmate, in an incident which is still being investigated.

Matthew Samuda

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) reported that 32-year-old temporary correctional officer Jimel Westney, who had just joined the service from the last intake of the Carl Rattray Training College, was stabbed inside the prison in Spanish Town.

According to the DCS, Westney was performing his assigned duties during the facility's unlocking process when he was attacked by the inmate, whose identity has not been released.

Westney, who was in his seventh week of duty with the DCS, was taken to hospital where he died while being treated. more