A senior prison officer has been charged with causing the death of an inmate by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide.

Senior prison officer Lim Kwo Yin, 36, wearing a long-sleeve blue shirt, appeared in court on Friday afternoon.

In the charge sheet, he is alleged to have, on Sept 27 in 2010 at Changi Prison disciplinary housing unit, been supervising the operation to restrain inmate Dinesh Raman Chinnaiah, 21.

Lim is said to have "failed to exercise adequate supervision" in the restraint of the inmate Dinesh Raman. Dinesh Raman's death is said to be caused by positional asphyxia. Lim is likely to enter a plea of guilty later on Friday afternoon.