ACTING INSPECTOR Neil Warner-Paul remained under close watch at a "special section" of the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca yesterday. His belt and shoelaces were taken away from him, "as is customary" with "any inmate charged with a serious crime".

Warner-Paul, 46, joined some 30-odd inmates who were members of the protective services in that section of the facility, the Express was told yesterday. This section is away from the prison's general population.

However, an officer speaking on behalf of Prison Commissioner John Rougier said Warner-Paul "is not under suicide watch".

Warner-Paul appeared at the Arima Magistrate's Court on Wednesday morning charged with the murder of Pastor Brian Pierre, which reportedly occurred at La Chance Trace, Malabar, Arima on Sunday.

Back in May this year, prison inmate Sunil Ali was found hanging in his cell, after he appeared in court for the murder of eight-year-old Hope Arismandez. Ali, however, was considered a "high risk" prisoner because it was feared that he would have taken his own life, as well as the fact that he received many threats to his life following the public outcry after he was pointed out as the killer.

Ali was also kept in a special area of the prison's Remand Section, but hanged himself using a makeshift noose. Ali's apparent suicide is still being investigated by prison officials and the police.