Prison staff allege affair

A female officer at Waikeria Prison is under investigation for allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with the man who killed Mangakino police officer Murray Stretch six years ago.

Carlos Namana, now 25, pleaded guilty to Mr Stretch's murder in 1999. He has been serving a life sentence.

Sources at Waikeria said prison staff became concerned at the way a female guard was behaving toward Namana, and wrote to prison management.

The woman has denied the allegations.

The sources also said that last weekend the officer was transferred to another part of the prison and Namana cut his arm in an effort to be moved closer to her.

The sources said the female guard took exception to comments made about Namana at a briefing. She is understood to have resigned, and left the prison on Sunday.

However, a Corrections spokesman said the resignation had been withdrawn, the officer was on paid leave and a hearing would take place tomorrow.

- NZPA