It has been reported that several prison officials, including the warden of Sittwe Prison, were taken into custody for accepting bribes in exchange for providing mobile phones to inmates.

Those detained include Sittwe Prison Head Maung Oo, officer Tun Kyaw, and three additional prison staff members, as shared by a relative of one official who requested anonymity.

Maung Oo was apprehended by military intelligence, known locally as Sarapa, around 10 PM on January 18, according to the source.

“The Sarapa conducted a raid at the prison at 8 pm on the 12th. Since then, four prison staff, along with the deputy warden and two inmates, have been arrested and are being interrogated by the Sarapa. The warden was arrested on January 18,” the source said.

Following a dispute between Bangladeshi Muslim inmates and local Muslim prisoners in Sittwe Prison, the Bangladesh Muslim inmates contacted their consulate in Sittwe to inform them of the situation.

After military intelligence became aware of the incident, they entered Sittwe Prison around 8 pm on January 12.

During the operation, the Sarapa arrested two inmates and four prison officials, including Deputy Warrant Officer Tun Kyaw. Following their questioning, the prison warden was also detained by junta forces on January 18.

Despite the prohibition on phone usage by inmates, they were able to obtain phones through bribes received by prison authorities.

The Sarapa unit reportedly confiscated around 50 mobile phones during the raid at Sittwe Prison.