A Corrections spokesperson says two of the nine staff members who were stood down at Rimutaka Prison in 2022 have received appropriate sanctions and no allegations were upheld against five of them. Photo:
Two Rimutaka Prison staff who breached Corrections' code of conduct are being allowed to return to work.
Nine Corrections employees at the Upper Hutt prison were placed on special leave in May last year while they were being investigated for misconduct, after police passed on information about 10 staff members - including management. One person had already resigned by the time the allegations were made public.
Earlier this year, RNZ revealed all nine staffers were still on paid leave 12 months later.
This week the police charged six people - a prisoner, a current employee, three former workers and a member of the public - after a three-year investigation into suspected criminal activity at Rimutaka Prison, dubbed Operation Portia.
Now, a Corrections spokesperson has confirmed only one of the four staffers who appeared in court this week was also one of those stood down last year for the alleged non-criminal breaches of Corrections' code of conduct.
"Of the nine staff members stood down in 2022, one resigned prior to the end of the employment process. One person's employment process is ongoing. The other seven returned to work or are working through a return to work," the spokesperson said.
"Of these seven, no allegations were upheld for five, while two received appropriate sanctions."
Corrections did not specify what the misconduct involved or what the punishments were, citing the Employment Relations and Privacy Acts.
Rimutaka prison was last inspected by the Office of the Inspectorate at the start of this month, but the findings would not be published until next year.
Chief Inspector Janis Adair said the "routine inspection" included a walk-around and interviews with prisoners and staff.
A former Corrections officer this week told RNZ corruption at the Prison was widespread.