Prison officer gets two years, five months over cannabis in Ensure bottles

Prison Officer #3817 Walter Benn was yesterday jailed for two years and five months after pleading guilty at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court to possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The police said in a statement yesterday that at about 3.57 pm on Wednesday, Prison Officer #3809 Jasen Johnson, while on duty at the Mazaruni Prison front gate, conducted a mandatory search on Benn upon his return from signing a document. Benn presented an Ensure bottle in a black plastic bag, which, upon inspection, was found to contain suspected canna-bis. The matter was reported, and Benn was arrested.

Police responded and took possession of the suspected narcotics. The statement said that Benn was interviewed in the presence of Assistant Superinten-dent of Prisons Rodey Denhart during which he admitted to having more narcotics in his living quarters and home. A search of his living quarters led to the discovery of three more Ensure bottles containing suspected cannabis, totalling 272 grams.

At around 8 pm on Wednesday, an intelligence-led operation led by ASP Nedd and a team of officers proceeded to Benn’s residence. His reputed wife, Tecina Angel Willis (a firewoman), admitted to transferring the narcotics and three cell phones to her neighbour, Melissa Allen, who then passed them to her reputed husband, Rhon Smith, for concealment. The statement said that Smith later led investigators to a clump of bushes behind his home, where nine Ensure bottles containing suspected cannabis and three cell phones were recovered.

The total narcotics seized amounted to 856 grams. All suspects were arrested for possession of narcotics for trafficking.

The following individuals were also arrested on January 29, 2025, and jointly charged yesterday with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking:

** Tecina Angel Willis – a 22-year-old of 2 1/2 Miles Potaro Road

** Melissa Allen – a 28-year-old vendor, residing at Mora Camp, Essequibo River

** Rhon Smith – a 36-year-old construction worker, residing at Mora Camp, Essequibo River.

The case was called at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court, where the charges were read to each defendant.

Willis,  Allen and  Smith pleaded not guilty and were each granted bail in the sum of eighty thousand dollars, the statement said.

The matter was adjourn-ed to March 12, 2025, for continuation.

Benn is the latest in a long line of prison officers to plead guilty or be convicted of drug crimes while serving at prisons.

Earlier this month, prison officer, Joel Johnson, 21, was jailed for three years when he pleaded guilty at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court to possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The police said in a statement that Johnson of Lot 1, Section ‘C’ Clon-brook, East Coast Deme-rara, was arrested with 804 grams of cannabis.

The sentencing of officers for drug crimes has raised questions about the vetting process for hiring.