Key facts
- Prison officer Jahvine Kwamba jailed for eight months for relationship with inmate Roberts Sokolovs.
- Kwamba initiated over 1,300 contacts with Sokolovs while he was at HMP Fosse Way.
- The pair exchanged sexually explicit messages and photographs on Snapchat.
- Kwamba received over £6,000 in payments from Sokolovs's mother and sister.
- Sokolovs's mother and sister were also convicted for their roles in the communication.
- Kwamba was found guilty of two counts of misconduct in a public office.
A prison officer, Jahvine Kwamba, 21, has been sentenced to eight months in jail for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with inmate Roberts Sokolovs, who referred to himself as the 'Latvian Pablo Escobar'. Kwamba, who had been a prison officer for only four months, initiated over 1,300 contacts with Sokolovs between February and June 2024 while he was held at HMP Fosse Way in Leicestershire. The court heard that sexually explicit photographs and messages were exchanged between them on Snapchat, even after Sokolovs was transferred to an immigration removal centre. Kwamba also received significant financial payments totaling over £6,000 from Sokolovs's mother, Zita Sokolova, and his sister, Venera Sokolova. Sokolovs himself was imprisoned in 2022 for his involvement in a county lines drug ring and was later deported to Latvia. Zita and Venera Sokolova also pleaded guilty to transmitting an image by electronic communication from within the prison. Kwamba's defense highlighted her naivety and immaturity, stating she was 'well in over her head'. She was arrested in July 2024 and pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in a public office. Zita Sokolova received a suspended sentence, while Venera Sokolova was given a community order.