The six-member board of inquiry that was set up to investigate the January 12 escape of nine prisoners from the Mazaruni jail yesterday handed over their report to Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.
Details of the report and the recommendations made by the board, which was headed by former Acting Police Commissioner Floyd Mc Donald, were not available yesterday.
When contacted for a comment on the report Rohee said that he was yet to go through it. Rohee said that he would first have to go through the report before presenting it to cabinet following which the recommendations would be vigorously implemented.
Mc Donald in presenting the report thanked Rohee for offering him and the rest of the board the opportunity to conduct such an important inquiry.
He said that they were able to arrive at an objective conclusion, although admitting that at times members had argued back and forth. Mc Donald noted that the recommendations were all valid and he hoped that it would help to improve the situation at the Mazaruni prison as well as other prison facilities in the country.
Mc Donald said that during their investigation, which began on January 24, they spent eight to nine hours in Georgetown working. “We have tried our best and I think you will be satisfied with the report,” Mc Donald told the minister.
Rohee in brief remarks expressed gratitude to the board, noting that he was pleased that they had concluded their tasks within the given timeframe.
The minister said he was happy that the report was out as citizens were eagerly awaiting the findings. Rohee told the board that he knew it was not an easy task for them. “But we had to do it because the nation expects the administration to act in a decisive way.” The police had also conducted an investigation, which led to two prison officers being accused of negligently allowing the prisoners to escape. The board commenced its work on January 24. Rohee on January 20 appointed six persons to serve on the board of enquiry. Among the persons were Mc Donald, crime prevention specialist Errol Van Nooten and Prison Services Assistant Superintendent Rev Fay Clarke. The board was expected to enquire into several issues including the circumstances prior to, during and after the escape, all matters relating to and incidental to the escape and the existing security arrangements in respect of the custody, management and control of prisoners. Around 4.15 pm on January 12, nine prisoners escaped during a routine feeding exercise. Those who escaped were Dineshwar Sooklall, Kenneth Richardson, Asrudden Khan C/D “Rocky,” Anil Sanichar, Ryan Rambharose, Trevor McLean, C/D “Footprint,” Alvin Shivnarine, Randolph Rodrigues, and Royston Reid, C/D “Knuckles.” Sooklall, Richardson, Khan, Rodrigues, Reid and McLean were all serving sentences for manslaughter; and Sanichar and Shivnarine were serving sentences for murder, while Reid was serving time for trafficking and Rambharose for larceny. Reports are that the inmates overpowered two guards at the brick prison. The men then made their way out of the gate to the fence, where they were spotted by a guard, who raised an alarm. They threatened to chop the guard and then they scaled the fence. Immediately after the alarm had been raised a joint services response team was activated and within two hours there were between 20 and 30 ranks from the police and prison service on the ground. All nine escapees were recaptured within two weeks and some have since been charged and sentenced.
