Prison Mobile Phone Possession to Be Made Illegal Following Inmate Breach
· Updated
In brief
- Legislation will be introduced in Parliament to criminalise the possession and smuggling of mobile phones in prison.
- The move follows a security failure at Corradino Correctional Facility where multiple inmates obtained phones in their cells.
- Those found with devices reportedly included two men convicted over the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The government is set to introduce legislation in Parliament to criminalise the possession and smuggling of mobile phones inside prisons, following a recent security failure at the Corradino Correctional Facility.
Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield announced the forthcoming legal amendments after an internal police investigation revealed that several high-profile inmates had managed to obtain and use mobile devices while in custody.
According to reports, the breach involved at least three prisoners who had access to illicit phones within their cells. Among those identified in connection with the inquiry were George Degiorgio and Robert Agius, both linked to the 2017 assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Current prison regulations treat the possession of unauthorised electronic equipment as an internal disciplinary breach rather than a specific criminal offence. The proposed statutory changes aim to close this legal loophole by establishing direct criminal penalties for both inmates and individuals who smuggle contraband into correctional facilities.
The incident has triggered fresh scrutiny over security procedures and surveillance standards at the Paola facility. Prison authorities have faced sustained criticism over enforcement gaps, particularly regarding the monitoring of high-security divisions housing convicts serving lengthy sentences.
Police investigations into how the devices entered the prison remain ongoing, with investigators working to determine whether the smuggling involved outside visitors, contractors, or correctional staff.
Parliament is expected to debate the legislative proposal in the coming weeks as ministers seek to introduce stricter deterrence mechanisms and restore operational integrity across the correctional system.
The Spin Room
Low media divide. Both outlets reported the planned legislative changes consistently, focusing on the security breach and the government's response.
Updates
- : Updated with reporting from MaltaToday and ONE News: the prison phone probe reportedly uncovered a suspected murder plot after officers monitored the smuggled devices before moving to seize them.