~ Justice Minister vowed to root out all levels of corruption~
PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of Justice Lyndon Lewis announced on Wednesday that an internal investigation was launched at the Pointe Blanche Prison to determine how two unknown assailants managed to enter the prison and assault a prisoner who was in isolation.
Lewis said he visited the injured prisoner at the St. Maarten Medical Center when he heard of the incident. He told members of the media during the weekly Council of Ministers press conference that the prisoner was severely beaten and was badly injured. Lewis said the attack shows that there is a level of corruption at the Pointe Blanche Prison because no one could explain to him how two unknown persons could enter the prison in prison guard uniforms and attack the prisoner who was in isolation.
SMN News managed to identify the prisoner as Amir Jean Pierre Sinase, who is serving a 4-year prison term.
SMN News learned that before the attack on Sunday, the prison threw an egg on a prison guard, and the female prison guard threatened him, saying she would get him after. SMN News further learned that the two attackers were prisoners who got some form of assistance from prison guards for them to reach the prisoner who was in isolation.
SMN News further learned that the injured prisoner had filed an official complaint with KPSM.