Justice Minister Emmanuel Mallia made a surprise visit to the Corradino Correctional Facility on Monday. Photo: Justice Ministry

The resignation of prison director Abraham Zammit was yesterday accepted by the Justice Minister and his successor will be appointed within 10 days.

Assistant Police Commissioner Ray Zammit will temporarily be responsible for the Corradino Correctional Facility until the new director is appointed, a Justice Ministry spokesman has said.

The new prison director “might not be” a member of the police force, which would be departure from previous practice, he added.

Mr Zammit, who remains a police superintendent, submitted his resignation on Monday evening after Justice Minister Emmanuel Mallia uncovered abuse by several prison warders who repeatedly left work hours before their shift ended.

The minister turned up unannounced at the Paola prison after being tipped off about the abuse. Mr Zammit said he was not aware of the abuse.

Absent warders case referred for investigation to the Justice Ministry’s permanent secretary, who set up a board of inquiry

The case was referred for investigation to the Justice Ministry’s permanent secretary, who yesterday set up a board of inquiry.

It will be made up of the director of the civil courts Frank Mercieca, as chairman, Civil Protection Department director Patrick Murgo and the director of probation and parole Natalino Attard.

Meanwhile, yesterday, the minister set up another board to look into various prison structures and shortcomings and make recommendations for improvement.

This board will look into issues such as the high price of items sold from the prison tuck shop, why food is ordered from outside and not prepared in the prison’s kitchen, and the practices at the forensic ward at Mount Carmel Hospital, the spokesman said.

The board will consist of Assistant Police Commissioner Ray Zammit, George Busuttil from NGO Mid-Dlam Għad-Dawl that works with inmates, the ministry’s permanent secretary Kevin Mahoney and chief of staff Silvio Scerri.

Mr Zammit, who was assistant director, became the acting prison director in August 2008 following the resignation of Superintendent Sandro Gatt.

Mr Gatt had stepped down after The Sunday Times reported that prisoner Leli Camilleri, known as Il-Bully, acted as an intermediary between the prisoners and the prison authorities following a fight.

Mr Gatt had said that inmates were not forced to go through Mr Camilleri and he saw a number of prisoners every day.