Prison Institutions - Prisoners on Remand: Rs 444 Million Annually
The total cost of holding prisoners on remand has been estimated at Rs 444 million per year, accounting for 43% of the allocated budget. In August 2025, out of 2,842 inmates, 1,223, or 43%, were on remand in our prisons.
To address this issue, the audit office recommends the establishment of a committee composed of the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, representatives from the Attorney General's office, the police, and prison services, aimed at expediting the processing of remanded inmates' cases and thereby reducing the resulting financial and social problems.
Beau-Bassin Prison: Rs 220,995 Monthly for IP-based CCTV Rental
A rental contract for 295 IP surveillance cameras, including an integrated monitoring system with installation and works, was awarded to a company on December 13, 2023, for a monthly rent of Rs 220,995 over a period of 60 months, totaling Rs 13.3 million.
The installation period was set for 180 days starting from July 2024, with the contract signed on April 19, 2024.
From September 2025, the CCTV rental contract was extended on a month-to-month basis while awaiting the completion of works assigned to the new provider.
The new provider ceased operations on May 28, 2025, and did not respond to the prison service's requests. As of September 2025, 195 surveillance cameras and additional equipment specified in the specifications had not been installed. The audit office recommends necessary measures against the supplier in case of non-compliance.
Faulty BOSS Chair
The BOSS chair is a specialized chair used for detecting concealed objects within the body. This chair, assigned to Beau-Bassin prison, has been out of service since April 15, 2025, and is deemed irreparable.
Defective Jammers at Melrose
Signal jammers, which help limit mobile phone usage among the inmate population, are defective at Melrose high-security prison and have not been replaced since 2017.
The audit office criticizes the prison commissioner's failure to take appropriate measures to timely replace the BOSS chair and defective jammers.
The report also laments that the prison administration lacks any maintenance policy or plan for its security infrastructure.
Maintenance Committee
The audit office recommends that the BOSS chair and jammers be replaced as soon as possible to prevent security breaches and proposes the establishment of a "Maintenance Committee."
Melrose High-Security Prison: Numerous Issues Identified
Melrose Eastern High Security Prison (MEHSP) has a sophisticated security infrastructure, yet according to a site study for the 2023-2024 financial year, a list of failures was noted, including the non-installation of surveillance cameras in several blind spots.
Absence of Cameras in Prisoner Transport Vehicles
The vehicles used for transporting inmates were not equipped with surveillance cameras, posing high security risks during the movement and transfer of prisoners.