– two police officers held
Two men, who police say are suspects in the Ministry of Health fire, mysteriously disappeared from the Providence Police Station lock-ups early yesterday morning leaving no sign of a furtive exit, Com-missioner of Police Henry Greene said yesterday.
As a result, the two officers who were on duty at the time of the escape have been taken into custody while a special team from the force’s Tactical Services Unit (TSU) is on the hunt for the escapees.
Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Home Affairs yesterday, Greene said the two men who escaped and are being sought are Kurt Thierens called ‘Bage’ or ‘Glasses’ and Colin Jones called ‘Bonny’. He said they were among six persons who have been arrested so far in connection with the July 17 fire, but were separated from the others and taken to the Providence facility, which, according to him, was “very secure”.
Police said in a press release issued last night that Jones and Thierens were wanted for escaping from lawful custody and that anyone with information that may lead to their arrests should contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-2700, 226-2917, 225-8196, 227-2128, 225-6941 to 3, 911 or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with strict confidence, the release said.
Police said Thierens, who is 31 years old is of African descent with black hair and brown eyes. He is 5 ‘ 6” tall and of slim built. His addresses were given as Lot 102 Middle Walk, Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD); Lot 7 National Avenue, Triumph, ECD and Lot 219 Residential Area, Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke/Linden Highway.
The bulletin said Jones is 20 years old and of African descent. He is described as thin built and 5’ 6” tall with black hair. His address was given as Lot 3 West La Penitence, Georgetown.
Greene said yesterday that around 9.15 Sunday morning the prisoners were separated and the two taken to Providence. He said the lock-ups there are very secure as they have bolts and an external door which carries bolts and padlocks, for added security.
A woman corporal and a rural constable were on duty on Sunday night. The woman corporal was in charge of inquiries and the constable was her assistant. According to Greene, the officer said that when she checked some time after midnight, both prisoners were intact. However, when she checked again at 2.15 am, the prisoners had disappeared. One other prisoner, who was being held in connection with another matter, was in the cell with the men at the time. He was still there.
“She said the men just disappeared and she don’t know how they came out,” Greene said. He said the padlocks had disappeared and the bolts were open.
“We have serious concerns and suspicions as to how these men left the lock-ups,” Greene declared.
He revealed that the police are currently working with certain information and expect to make arrests shortly. Up to press time last night, the police had not issued an official wanted bulletin for the men.
In June last year, high-profile prisoner Jermaine ‘Skinny’ Charles had escaped from the Sparendaam lock-ups. He had a three-hour lead before a manhunt was launched for him after he reportedly slipped under a seven-inch space left by a loose board. He had made a court appearance earlier the same day and was to have been taken back to the Camp Street prison. However, when the prison van arrived it was discovered that he was missing.
The loose board was something the station sergeant had knowledge of for over a month, the police had admitted.
Greene had said then that he was convinced that the man’s escape was well planned and while there was no evidence of collusion, though this was suspected, those found guilty would have been interdicted from duty.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee had called the escape “unforgivable and inexcusable” and vowed that those culpable would “face the music”.
Some officers were later transferred. However, there was no information whether anyone was interdicted from duty.
Charles was shot and killed along with wanted man Rondell Rawlins, about two months after his escape.