Prostitution is a major criminal offense in China. (Photo : Getty Images)
The deputy director, the county's public security bureau director and three other police officials of the Dongxiang Detention Center were given punishment for violating prison rules and committing acts of corruption.
The punishments given ranged from "severe warnings" to withdrawal from their posts, according to thepaper.cn.
A sex worker, Lu Lu, was brought in by Lei Ronghui, the detention center's deputy director, on the night of May 2, 2015. He bribed another police officer, He Lianggui, with a carton of cigarettes to let Lu Lu inside the detention center.
Lei had Lu Lu and He Lianggui wait in the cafeteria while fetching He Yuling from his cell. Lu Lu and He would have sex in the cafeteria.
He Yuling is serving a nine-month sentence for operating a KTV and casino.
Prisoners are allowed to take in visitors for half an hour during weekdays once a month, according to the notice published by Jiangxi Prison Administrative Bureau. Visitors at night and on weekends are not allowed.
Police officers exposed the illegal activities, but the officers involved only received a light punishment. The tip was received by the Dongxiang county public security bureau on May 12, 2015.
Lei denied the accusations. He said that he did not know that Lu Lu was a sex worker. He was fired from his post in Aug. 2015. Lu Lu was detained and He was asked to pay fines.
He said, "If I had known she was a sex worker, I would rather have had my head cut off than let her in."
Lawyers from Chongqing believe that the officers involved should be further investigated. If they are proven to be engaged in allowing prostitution, then the officers have committed a criminal offense. They are also guilty for abuse of power.
The officers only received administrative penalties and no criminal charges were made.
