Prison Ombudsman’s damning report on the planting of evidence in a POWs cell.
On the 29th March 2011, the Prison Ombudsman delivered a damning report on the planting of the personal details of Maghaberry Prison governor Steven Rodford in the cell of a republican prisoner. This criminal attempt to frame a republican prisoner by members of the search team/riot squad was intended (and succeeded) to put fear into the prison governor and his family. Primarily, this was done because Steven Rodford had made his intentions known that he was going to make “reforms” to Maghaberry Prison, with particular attention being paid to the notorious prison search team/riot squad and also with the spotlight on the precarious POA and its malign influence within Maghaberry. All this sealed the fate of governor Steven Rodford.
The fact that an innocent republican prisoner could quite easily have been given a heavy prison sentence for possessing such personal security details of the prison governor and the deliberate subsequent leaking to the media of a so called dissident threat to life of the governor and his family, shows quite clearly the length these people will go to in order to protect their fiefdom. These two groups are two sides of the one coin; both used to running this gaol as they see fit for the good of themselves and not society in general and certainly not the prisoners. The individuals who planted the governor’s details are members of the same search team/riot squad which carry out the forced brutal strip searches of republican prisoners.
When the 12th August agreement was reached the POA made sure the same individuals within this discredited search team were put in charge of all searches before and after all legal and family visits of republican prisoners. To put the same bigoted individuals in our faces at every opportunity is a sign of the true nature and intentions of the POA and indeed the “power” this organisation is able to wield, even though these same people have been condemned in inspection reports by every group or organisation tasked with investigating Maghaberry Prison. In fact, at least one of these reports called for this group of people to be disbanded. Over and over again the subliminal question permanating throughout these reports and this criminal investigation now taking place is “who really does run Maghaberry?” This criminal act, if nothing else, brings into sharp focus how easy it is for these people to plant evidence on anyone who doesn’t conform to their views.
The republican prisoner at the centre of the present case can consider himself lucky that he has been able to expose this conspiracy attempt but serious questions must surely be asked of all the people involved and also all the evidence that has him in this gaol in the first instance. Only then can there be any semblance of justice for him. The disappearance of vital equipment and evidence is a mystery. This is being highlighted by his legal team at present and although a very serious cause for concern that another miscarriage of justice could be presently taking place; this comes as no surprise to us or republicans in general who are not working hand in glove with the British/NIO Justice department, who only have one agenda – a British one, not an Irish republican one.
We would therefore call on all people, except those too afraid to offend their new found masters, to help expose this anti-republican regime and agenda presently being operated in Maghaberry gaol.
Signed:
Colin Duffy
Harry Fitzsimons
Brendan Conway
Kevin Barry Nolan
Damien McLaughlin
Gerard McManus
