A teenaged murder accused escaped from the Georgetown Prisons on Monday and three days later prison officials remain clueless as to how he managed to slip away undetected from the facility.
Prison Chief Dale Erskine confirmed yesterday that 18-year-old Eddie Williams escaped from the Camp Street location. Speaking to Stabroek News briefly, he said that the escape was still being probed and they (prison officials) were still to ascertain how he fled the prison.
Up to press time, there was no further information from the Prisons on the escape or whether a wanted bulletin was issued for the escapee. This newspaper was unable to ascertain why a bulletin was not issued.
Relatives of the murder victim, Jermaine Jones of Diamond, East Bank Demerara said last evening that they were shocked but were leaving the matter in God’s hands.
A close relative who did not want his name published told Stabroek News that on Tuesday, Williams’ aunt (who was Jones’ girlfriend) told them that he had escaped. Someone had apparently earlier informed her of the development.
He said that yesterday he saw a headline in the Kaieteur News about a prisoner escaping and decided to read on.
“When I saw it was him, my reaction was that somebody pay. How a man gon get out of jail? Right round that prison got security”, the man said.
He said that he immediately telephoned Jones’s mother. The man said that at first, coping with the death was hard but as time passed, the woman started coping better.
The relative questioned why Williams’ escape was not highlighted sooner before noting that the murder accused has been in jail for less than a month.
The man said that Williams managed to elude capture for two months and may manage now to hide for a longer period.
Asked how he feels about the entire situation, the relative said “ah just deh hey watching on…”.
Another relative said that the fact that no bulletin has been issued indicates that “is some foul play involved and that money pass”.
“You mean to tell me that Leonora Police ain’t got a picture of this man?” the infuriated woman asked, adding that her only desire is that the escapee keeps far from her relatives.
Stabroek News was unable to make contact with Williams’ relatives.
Williams of 37 Back Street, Ruimzigt, West Coast Demerara is accused of stabbing Jones to death on November 30 last year.
It was reported that Jones was stabbed to death at Ruimzigt during an early morning row. The police had said he sustained 14 stab wounds and died before reaching the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where he was rushed shortly after the incident.
According to reports Jones went to a house where he later accused the teen of stealing a cellular phone and money. Williams lives in the same house with Jones’ girlfriend, who is his aunt. Jones reportedly beat the teenager with a baseball bat and managed to relieve him of two knives. The argument later continued and it was reported that Williams was seen repeatedly stabbing Jones repeatedly.
The youth later fled in bloodied clothing, clutching the murder weapon and a plastic bag.
After being on the run for more than two months, Williams’ was caught and appeared in the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court charged with the capital offence on February 9.
He was remanded to prison by Magistrate Nyasha Williams-Hatmin until April 14.
The escape came just days before the anniversary of the infamous break-out of five prisoners from the Camp Street jail on February 23, 2002. That breakout led to a crime spree unprecedented in the country’s history.
Since 2002 there have been numerous breaches of security at the overcrowded prison.
