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The Wellington regional prisons manager who has been put on "special leave" is not under suspicion of corruption, Parliament was told yesterday.
Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor said this when questioned by National Party MPs, but he would not explain why the action was taken against Dave East by Corrections Department chief executive Barry Matthews.
Earlier yesterday Mr Matthews said the manager - whom he did not name - had been put on special leave for 48 hours, pending a decision on whether he should be suspended.
Mr Matthews said the action was unrelated to any issues of alleged corruption at Upper Hutt's Rimutaka Prison.
An "employment investigation" was under way.
He said it could take several weeks but a decision on suspension would be made within two days.
When contacted, Mr East said he had nothing to say and referred all questions to the department.
An inquiry into alleged corruption at Upper Hutt's Rimutaka Prison is under way and nine officers have been suspended in recent weeks.
The allegations involve smuggling contraband, including cellphones and drugs, into the prison for inmates.
- NZPA
