Windhoek — THE Ministry of Prisons and Correctional Services that a few months ago was highly embarrassed by an incident in which a convicted murderer fell pregnant after having unprotected sex at the Windhoek Central Prison has quietly demoted two officials.

One of the officers demoted for alleged negligence at the country's maximum-security jail is Richard Malambo, who previously held the rank of chief superintendent and was the head of Windhoek Central Prison. He has since been move down two ranks to the position of a mere superintendent and has been transferred to the Ministry of Prisons and Correctional Services, where he is now apparently confined to a tiny office. The other official who was also demoted after being hauled before a disciplinary hearing is Innocent Mukubi, whose rank was downgraded to that of a chief prisons officer from a relatively high-paying rank of senior superintendent in the hierarchy at Prisons.

The demotion of the two officials was confirmed yesterday by Ignatius Mainga, a spokesman at the Ministry of Prisons and Correctional Services and his superior Commissioner of Prisons Evaristus Shikongo.

The demotions, according to Mainga, also impacted negatively on the two wardens' pockets as their salaries were slashed by as much as 40 percent.

A third co-accused, Senior Superintendent Michael Mberira was however given a clean bill after a disciplinary hearing found him innocent of any negligence. The ministry has however decided to transfer him to Hardap Prison.

New Era understands that the inmate who is serving a lengthy jail sentence for murder has since given birth to an infant whose upkeep is being paid for from public coffers, while the ministry is still trying to figure out who fathered the baby.

The Ministry of Prisons and Correctional Services has all along insisted the father of the infant is another inmate who fornicated with the convict. But some sources are doubtful as they allude to the fact that inmates are guarded around-the-clock, apart from the closed-circuit cameras that are strategically placed at the Windhoek Central Prison.

Yesterday, the Commissioner of Prisons indicated that though the two officials have been found guilty of negligence, the Ministry of Prisons and Correctional Services has not yet reached a conclusion with regard to the man responsible for the pregnancy of the inmate.

Shikongo said the aspect of paternity could be resolved within this month.