The Home Affairs shadow minister has called for political responsibility to be shouldered following the death of a prisoner in custody on Wednesday.

A 39-year-old prisoner awaiting trial for attempted murder was found dead in his cell at Corradino prisons on Wednesday afternoon.

In a statement on Thursday, Beppe Fenech Adami said that no prisoner, whatever his crime, should die or allowed to take his own life while in prison.

He said that in spite of the government’s public relations exercises in the past weeks, the death of another prisoner in custody was confirmation of the dire situation at the facility.

While it was still important for one to pay for his mistakes through detention, the reform and rehabilitation of prisoners was as important.

The government was failing in this and a person had again died under the eyes of those who were supposed to be rehabilitating him. Minister Michael Farrugia should explain this failure, because each life was precious, Dr Fenech Adami said.

In December, a 26-year old inmate was also found dead at Corradino Correctional Facility.