Rimutaka Prison. (File image) Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
Name of woman charged has now been removed due to an interim name suppression order.
Corrections staff were allegedly bribed with sex and money to take contraband into Rimutaka Prison.
Six people have been charged with corruption and bribery after a three-year investigation by police into the Upper Hutt jail.
The National Organised Crime Group has led the investigation named Operation Portia since 2020.
Of the six defendants - a prisoner, a current prison employee, a member of the public and three former employees - four appeared in Hutt Valley District Court on Tuesday.
The Department of Corrections said the current employee has been suspended.
A 50-year-old man, who cannot be named, appeared in Hutt Valley District Court on Tuesday for allegedly accepting sex twice from a 37-year-old woman named as a bribe to smuggle contraband into the prison.
The woman has been charged with corruptly bribing the man with sex and failed to appear in court.
Judge Tim Black issued a warrant for her arrest and refused her lawyer's request for name suppression, but this has been appealed.
An inmate is allegedly party to offering that bribe.
The inmate is charged with corruption and bribing guards at Rimutaka Prison and has pleaded not guilty at Lower Hutt District Court.
The man, who is serving a prison sentence for other matters, has been granted interim name suppression to keep him safe from other inmates and guards.
His presence was excused from the hearing, after he refused to come out of his cell.
The 42-year-old has elected trial by jury and is next due to appear at the court in February.
Three men have been charged with accepting multiple monetary bribes between $65 and $1300 to bring contraband into the prison.
Operation Portia
Operation Portia followed another investigation named Operation Dory which was a drug-related investigation at Rimutaka Prison.
Operation Portia involved interviewing almost 200 people, including Corrections staff and prisoners, as well as reviewing phones, bank data and CCTV footage.
The corruption and bribery charges required Attorney General consent to prosecute according to police.
Police said they have worked collaboratively with the Department of Corrections to prevent corruption and strengthen prison systems.
Corrections gave assurances it would do everything it could to ensure no more staff were caught up in the charges.
Chief custodial officer Neil Beales said the majority of staff had not been involved and they wanted to see the issue laid to rest.
