-Home Ministry
Following the death of prisoner Davendra Beharry last Friday at the Georgetown Prison, it was discovered that the Prison Authorities were in breach of the Prisons Act and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (UNSMRTP).
The Ministry of Home Affairs, in a statement dated 21 August, 2009 but only received by Stabroek News last evening, said that the Prison Authorities breached two sections of the UNSMRTP, which makes provisions for dealing with “Prisoners of Unsound Mind, and Insane and Mentally Abnormal Prisoners.”
Beharry, 27, called Nave, of Hand-en-Veldt, Mahaica was stabbed to death last Friday by inmates of the Georgetown Prison, one day after he was placed on remand for a larceny charge when he appeared at the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court.
The Home Affairs ministry said it is disturbed over the death of the prisoner, who according to them, was discovered dead in his cell at about 7am last Friday. “He was deemed as being of unsound mind, and was in a cell with three other prisoners, also deemed to be of unsound mind” the press release said.
The Prison Authorities, the ministry said, has since been instructed “to take immediate steps to deal with other prisoners deemed to be of unsound mind/insane and mentally abnormal, until the Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, work out the modalities for the detention of these prisoners.”
The Guyana Police Force was asked to investigate the death of Beharry, and to submit a report within twenty-four hours. Stabroek News was unable to confirm yesterday whether the investigation was carried out and a report submitted.
Meanwhile, the death of convicted prisoner Dwayne Archibald was also mentioned in the press statement. Archibald, according to the Home Affairs ministry, died last Thursday reportedly of stab wounds and laceration to the head. Police were also investigating this matter.
Archibald’s relatives told Stabroek News on Monday that they were not satisfied with the answers given to them by the Prison Authority about the man’s death. Relatives said they had learnt that Archibald was beaten and stabbed with an iron pole by a murder accused.
Relatives said they had been advised that pending the results of a post-mortem examination on Archibald’s body charges would be instituted. Contacted yesterday relatives informed Stabroek News that they did not know what the post-mortem results are and will collect it some time today.
Meanwhile, the Home Ministry emphasised that it “remains supportive of the Prison Administration, whose responsibility it is to ensure the safety of prisoners in its custody; however, the Ministry will not condone breaches in prison rules and regulations, which places at risk, or imperils, the life of persons incarcerated.”