female prisoner.

Officers apprehended two men on Sunday and are currently questioning the pair about an alleged incident in which a 19-year-old inmate claimed she was raped by prison officers.

The men, one from Devonshire and one from St. George's, are expected to be bailed after interviews are concluded by officers from the major incident room.

Pregnancy tests on the British teenager, who claimed she was sexually assaulted after becoming drunk at the Co-Ed facility in January, are still awaited.

The news of the arrests come as the woman's lawyer, Mark Pettingill, petitioned the Governor in a bid to secure her freedom, and follow the suspension of three prison officers last week.

Prison Service officials said the men will remain off work until the investigation is complete.

Mr. Pettingill is hoping his client will be shown mercy and allowed to leave Bermuda, six months short of her first parole hearing.

The woman was convicted in 1997 of importing $66,000 of heroin into Bermuda in her underwear.

Already the UK Government has called for a report into the alleged incident.

Deputy Governor Tim Gurney confirmed that the petition, appealing for clemency had been received.

It could take several weeks before a decision is made by Governor Thorold Masefield, following advice from Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox and the Advisory Committee for Prerogative of Mercy.