HOMOSEXUALS RAN THINGS in prison, a young inmate told a Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday.

And Keimar Orlando Payne actually said he had been told of two senior prison officers who favoured certain inmates because they too were gay.

Payne, who is serving a ten-year sentence for robbery, told commissioners he had been informed warders Everton Carrington and Cedric Moore were homosexuals, and allowed gay inmates special privileges.

"I was told they [Carrington and Moore] picked up for the gays right through."

According to the 23-year-old witness, inmate Adrian Jones was one of the favoured gay inmates, since he would get into fights with other prisoners and never be punished.

In fact, Payne said Jones had attacked him on March 27, 2005, two days before rioting prisoners burnt down Glendairy.

"I was the one who was attacked, and I was locked down, but not Jones."

Payne informed the commission that he had warned young inmates on the "A" corridor where he was housed to stay away from Jones, since fingers would be pointed at them.

"He [Jones] took offence to that," Payne testified.

The witness said he later saw Jones with a piece of wood, and he attacked him, chasing him to the prison's medical unit, and hitting him on the hand.

Payne said he warned the youth on "A" corridor about Jones, after hearing he [Jones] and another inmate, Jamal Harris, had been involved in a homosexual act in Jones' cell.

In fact, Harris was later beaten by youths from the "A" corridor, and warned to stay away from Jones.

"Jones had a free hand in jail, so I do believe he was a favourite," Payne testified.

The witness said he had also heard numerous rumours about young inmates being offered special meals as enticement to Jones' cell for homosexual favours.

"They would get 'pretty food' like fried chicken, chips and macaroni pie, which other inmates from the general population would have to buy with cigarettes," said Payne.

According to the witness, any homosexual activity would have had to occur during the day, since all inmates were locked down at night.

Payne said when he learnt Jones had been beaten by inmates and had died, he felt glad, because he disliked homosexuals.