The prison agency has denied claims made by an inmate serving a life term that there is a systematic campaign of terror, fear and torture at the Corradino Correctional Facility.

The inmate, who was found guilty of a double murder, requested a magisterial inquiry in an application filed in the Courts of Law.

Brian Vella, 41, also drew attention to a crime which he claims was committed in September 2018.

In the application, filed by Dr Jason Grima, Vella said that he had been in prison for 21 years and the current management was never as bad as it is today.

“A systematic campaign of terror, fear and torture reigns inside the CCF, carried out by the prison guards with the blessing and permission of prison director Alex Dalli and the management,” Vella claimed.

He said he is prepared to confirm on oath that a “torture chair” mentioned in the media truly exists and had been used several times.

The existence of this chair had initially been denied by Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, who later admitted that in an incident that took place before he became minister, a prisoner had once been tied to a chair upon the recommendation of a doctor.

Vella also claimed that on 24 September, 2018, he and other prisoners had seen prison guards taking out a dead inmate. This had been kept a secret, “showing that it was most probably something illicit and illegal”.

“Abuse of power” by prison warders, with the blessing of their superiors, was causing inmates “psychological torture”.

In a brief statement issued on Saturday, the Correctional Services Agency said that the agency will be fighting Vella's claims in court.

"The agency categorically denies these allegations," the spokesman said. 

Vella was sentenced to life in prison over the double murder of his neighbours at their Santa Luċija home in 2000, 79-year-old Gerald Grima and his 63-year-old wife Josephine.

Dominic Bonnici was sentenced to 30 years in jail for his involvement in the double murder. The pair had stolen €460 worth of items.