Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield says he wants to "know the facts" as an internal inquiry was launched after prison authorities discovered that an inmate had been using a laptop connected to the internet from inside prison.

In a video statement issued on Friday, Bedingfield confirmed that a prisoner had been found using a laptop "irregularly" within his cell, prompting an immediate investigation.

While the minister did not identify the inmate, multiple sources confirmed that the laptop was seized from the cell of Adrian Agius, known as Ta' Maksar, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop.

Bedingfield explained that the laptop had not been smuggled into prison. Rather, the inmate had been granted permission to use the device in May 2024, subject to strict conditions, including a prohibition on internet access.

"However, we now know that the laptop was used irregularly as it was connected to the internet," the minister said.

He praised prison officials for uncovering the breach, noting that the inmate was caught because prison staff carried out their duties diligently.

"The prisoner was caught because prison officials did their job," Bedingfield said, thanking officers for acting swiftly to confiscate the device.

The minister stressed that anyone found to have breached prison regulations must be held accountable.

"Whoever broke the rules must be punished and investigated. I want to know the facts," he said.

An internal inquiry, led by Judge Emeritus Antonio Mizzi, has been tasked with establishing the circumstances surrounding the case. Mizzi has been given 30 days to submit his findings and recommendations to the minister.

"Once the inquiry is closed, nothing will stop me from taking decisions or ensuring that every executive authority takes the actions needed," Bedingfield added.

A separate investigation is also being conducted by prison authorities.

According to prison regulations, inmates who are authorised to use laptops for educational purposes must obtain the devices from outside the prison. Before use, authorities inspect and clean the hardware and physically seal all ports to prevent unauthorised data transfers or internet access.

Inmates are strictly prohibited from accessing the internet.

The breach came to light following a random search carried out last week. During the inspection, officials discovered that the security seals placed on Agius' laptop had been broken, exposing at least one data port and allowing the device to connect to the internet.

The findings have raised questions about how prison security measures were circumvented and whether existing controls are sufficiently robust to prevent similar breaches in the future.