Prisons boss resigns, welfare commissioner now head of Corradino Correctional Facility

The head of the Corradino Correctional Facility, Robert Brincau, has submitted his immediate resignation following his conviction for 12 months, suspended for three years, over a firearm assault in a public place.

Brincau had refused to resign and was backed by home affairs minister Byron Camilleri, who never appointed anyone to take his role pending the criminal charges.

Christopher Siegersma had been appointed in 2022 as the first Commissioner for the Welfare and Development of Prisoners.

Siegersma, 39, has years of experience in the medical and social field. He was responsible for multidisciplinary teams in the mental health sector, including Crisis Intervention and Home Treatment team and Young People’s Unit.

The conclusions of the inquiry into the Correctional Services Agency launched after a streak of deaths and suicides in prison, under former director Alex Dalli, made 32 recommendations for reform in the sector.

Siegersma is a nurse by profession and holds a Masters’ degree from the University of Malta in mental health. He is reading for a PhD at the Queen Margaret University of Edinburgh and is specialising in psychological trauma related to criminal acts.