A prison chaplain at Westgate was intimidated into handing over cash to an inmate, prompting an internal inquiry to be launched.

Rev. Lloyd Duncan was working inside the facility on Friday when the prisoner asked him for a prayer. According to Prison Commissioner Hubert Dean, he then closed his cell door and asked the chaplain for $20. ?Under the circumstances he felt intimidated,? said Mr. Dean, explaining that the cash was handed over.

He said the incident was not one he would describe as a robbery, and that Rev. Duncan, pastor at the Greater Smith Hill Church of God in Pembroke, was not assaulted. ?He did not report it until later that night which put us in a quandary or we would have dealt with it straight away,? he added.

The inmate?s cell was searched, resulting in what the Commissioner described as ?unauthorised articles? being found, and he was put into segregation. A written report into the incident has been ordered. Despite other media organisations reporting that prison staff at Westgate have concerns about their wellbeing, Mr. Dean said this has not been brought to his attention. However, when reported last year how assaults inside Westgate rocketed from nine to 19 during the course of 2004, Mr. Dean commented that ?the type of inmates we are getting are more aggressive?

In 2005, the Prison Officers Association reported that attacks on officers at the facility were averaging one a month. Rev. Duncan could not be reached for comment as went to press.