By Desilon Daniels
The Guyana Prison Service has launched an investigation into the alleged beating of a prisoner after he set a mattress on fire in order to draw attention to his medical condition.
Director of Prisons Welton Trotz told Stabroek News that the internal investigation into the accusations levelled against a number of guards at the Camp Street prison is underway.
Calvin Bailey was admitted to prison in 2007, accused of murdering an 18-month-year-old child. He is currently awaiting a retrial after his last trial ended with a hung jury. He was reportedly asthmatic since childhood.
In a recording, Bailey explained that his illness had made prison life much more difficult, especially when he was placed in solitary confinement.
On May 10, Bailey said, he had been placed in solitary confinement “for security reasons” and had made multiple requests to be removed due to his asthma. However, his requests were reportedly ignored. “I told them that I needed to see the chief or get medical attention because I wasn’t breathing well,” he said.
Bailey explained that in an attempt to gain attention he lit the mattress. “That’s when they start coming in a drove to the strong cell,” he said,