A prisoner, Stephen Spiteri, has been found dead at Corradino prisons.

The grim discovery was made at about 7.45 a.m. and an inquiry is under way.

The prisoner, aged 29, had a long criminal record.

Initial investigations showed no suspicious circumstances leading to his death but an investigation is under way amid reports that the prisoner was not trusted by other inmates. Officers are trying to establish if he had suffered a drug overdose.

The Acting Director of Prisons said the prisoner was found dead in his bed, and the circumstances of his death were not known.

The Labour Party in a statement said it was 'more than obvious' after what had happened this morning and allegations made in the past few days, that there was need for a review of the way the prisons were operating.

The party noted that allegations were made in the past few days about sexual and drug abuse in the prisons and allegations about shortages of basic items.

Such allegations placed the administration and the employees in a bad light and made their work more difficult.

The party also noted that the last engagement of wardens was made in 2005, when the prison populations was much smaller.

It said there was overcrowding in parts of the prison, and shortages in the management structure.

In a reply, the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs said the Opposition was ‘manifestly insensitive’ in its statement and had tried to make political mileage from a human tragedy.

The ministry said every allegation made in the past few days was being investigated by a magistrate and it hoped matters would be concluded in the shortest possible time.

The ministry thanked the administration of the prison and said such incidents should not cast a bad light on the care and assistance given to the inmates and efforts for their rehabilitation.

It also pointed out that it a call for the recruitment of a Director of Prisons was issued last month, and a number of managers were recruited recently.

A new bill which would reform the prison justice system had just been published.

Furthermore, in line with recommendations made in March 2009 by a Board of Inquiry, various shortcomings at the prisons were being addressed. The changes were being steered by a task force appointed by the ministry.

The Board of Inquiry had pointed the need for substantial change in the organisational structure of the prisons for better control and security.

A weakness in middle management was being addressed

The ministry also pointed out that there are now 600 prisoners, twice the number of a few years ago. Although the number of warders had decreased in relation to the number of prisoners, it was in line with the situation overseas.