Court jails two prison officers for selling cellphones to inmates

A criminal appeals court in Thessaloniki has jailed two prison officers for selling cellphones to inmates.

A 60-year-old warden received a nine-year two month sentence while his accomplice, aged 38, received an eight-year eight-month term.

The court did not recognize any mitigating circumstances.

The judges unanimously found them guilty of professionally bribing employees, importing and disposing of mobile phones in a jail as well as dereliction of duty.

Police began an investigation into the two prison wardens after receiving a complaint from inmates in Nigrita prison in 2020 accusing them of selling cellphones for 1,000 euros and then charging the prisoners who bought them 250 euros a month to keep the devices.

In their defense, the prison officers denied the allegations, claiming prisoners were taking revenge on them for conducting searches for mobile phones in the jail.