A prison inmate was yesterday searched and sent to the maximum-security division, a day after his mother criticised the prison authorities on social media for the way her son was being treated.

After he was moved, the prisoner was beaten up by two Libyan inmates, a prison officer told the Times of Malta.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the prison’s Special Response Team (SRT) conducted the search of the inmate held in Division 1.

“The SRT said they found some kind of illegal substance in his cell and he was disciplined and sent immediately to division six as a punishment,” he said.

“A few hours later, we heard the same prisoner calling for help as he was brutally beaten by two Libyan prisoners in the same division. His face was disfigured and his nose was most probably fractured,” the officer added.

I was also told I cannot see my son for a whole 10 days

“Although I have no proof that this was some form of scolding to the prisoner after his mother spoke to Xarabank on its social media programme, officers here find the sequence of events very odd and utterly unacceptable,” he said.

He added that the correctional facilities were in a very bad state.

The prisoner’s mother was critical of the prison authorities’ refusal to allow her son to attend the christening of his newborn baby.

The mother, herself an inmate, said: “If my son made a mistake, his child should not suffer the consequences.”

When contacted yesterday, she confirmed her son was sent to the maximum security division, where he was badly beaten up.

“I was also told I cannot see my son for a whole 10 days,” she said.

Prison director Paul Debattista was unavailable when the Times of Malta contacted the prison administration.

“He has been indisposed and is not reporting for work,” an official said.

Questions sent to his assistant, Mariella Camilleri, remained unanswered at the time of writing.

The government confirmed the incident but said that searches were a routine.

“An incident occurred whereby an inmate was certified as having suffered slight injuries.

“This was the result of an argument that broke out among a small group of inmates.

“The argument was defused immediately, and all inmates involved were sent back to their individual cells. The police were called, however the inmate concerned refused to file a report or speak to the police,” a spokeswoman for Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia said.

She said searches were conducted constantly at the facility.