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Broken Badges: Columbia Jail Guard Charged With Assault, Misconduct

By James Seidel | CC News Network

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A corrections officer at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center has gone from guard to inmate after being charged with assault and misconduct in office, further fueling concerns about the troubled Richland County jail.

Ken Igboka, 41, was arrested Wednesday following an internal investigation into a New Year’s Day altercation with an inmate, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Court records show he has been charged with second-degree assault and battery and misconduct in office—two offenses that highlight systemic failures inside the notoriously violent detention facility.

A Fight Behind Bars

According to investigators, deputies were first notified on Feb. 4, when jail staff reported an incident involving Igboka and an inmate that had occurred more than a month earlier.

Sheriff’s department officials said Igboka engaged in a physical altercation with the inmate on Jan. 1, causing minor injuries. But rather than reporting the incident—a requirement for detention officers—Igboka allegedly covered it up, raising questions about whether this was an isolated event or part of a broader culture of unchecked violence.

Authorities have not disclosed what led to the altercation or where in the jail it occurred. The inmate’s current condition remains unknown.

Igboka was booked into the same jail he once guarded and remains behind bars. His bond was set at $5,000 for the assault charge, but as of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, he had not posted bail, according to Richland County court records. Information about his misconduct in office charge was not immediately available.

He is scheduled to appear in court on April 25.

Broken Bades — Ken Igboka is accused of being involved in an incident with an inmate, according to RCSD. (Photo: Richland County Sheriff’s Department)

A Jail in Crisis

The Richland County-run detention center has long been under intense scrutiny for inhumane conditions, staff misconduct, and unchecked violence. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released a damning report on Jan. 15, concluding that a “pervasive culture of violence” had become systematic and commonplace inside the jail.

The DOJ report painted a picture of neglect, inadequate supervision, and frequent abuse, making Igboka’s case part of a larger pattern rather than an isolated incident.

Richland County officials insist they are working to reform the facility, but incidents like this raise doubts about meaningful progress.

“The safety and well-being of our staff and detainees continue to be the county’s top priority,” a county spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday.

However, past statements about improving jail conditions have often been followed by more scandals, inmate deaths, and staff misconduct charges.

Pattern of Misconduct Among Jail Staff

Igboka’s arrest is just the latest in a long list of controversies surrounding Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center:

Inmates have died under suspicious circumstances, with families alleging neglect and abuse.
Staffing shortages have left dangerous gaps in supervision, leading to unchecked violence among detainees.
Previous corrections officers have been arrested for smuggling contraband, abusing inmates, or participating in criminal activity inside the jail.

Critics argue that until systemic issues are addressed, incidents like Igboka’s will continue to happen.

What’s Next?

Igboka remains incarcerated while awaiting trial. His arrest raises larger questions about whether federal intervention is needed to clean up the corruption and violence plaguing the Richland County jail.

With DOJ oversight now in play, and the detention center’s reputation already in freefall, the question remains:

How many more “badges” will be broken before real change happens?