Post-mortem examinations of almost half of the 17 prisoners who died at the Georgetown Prison last Thursday during a fiery protest, were yesterday conducted during which some family members viewing the remains for the first time, broke down in tears.
Five of the eight autopsies were performed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary on the bodies of Jermain Otto, Randolph Marques, Rayon Paddy, Sherwin Trotman and Shaka McKenzie. Three others were reportedly done at Le Repentir Mortuary, with the rest slated to be conducted on Wednesday once the respective families formally identify the remains.
The other dead prisoners are Delroy Williams, Anthony Primo, Andrew Philander, Kirk Clarke, Latchman Partap, Aaron Eastman, Rohan Teekaram, Hillary Amos, Clifton Joseph, Chetram Dwarandat, Asraf Mohamed and Richard Hubbard.
Stabroek News visited the GPH mortuary yesterday morning where family members of some of the deceased gathered to formally identify their remains and even witness the autopsies.
Many broke down in tears after viewing their relatives’ bodies for the first time since Thursday’s fire, while others voiced their skepticism as regards the entire incident. Some were concerned at not having yet been officially informed of the deaths by the prison authorities.
Three of the families spoke with his newspaper and they all had theories about how their loved ones died.
The girlfriend of Jermain Otto, Anandie Bishram, is still trying to accept the fact that he is dead.
Otto, 26 of Lot 735 east Ruimveldt was one of two men charged with murdering businessman Ashok Raghoo following a robbery in 2014. In July 2014, they were committed to stand trial at the High Court.
Bishram told this newspaper that she saw only half of his body yesterday and it was completely burnt. Still, she said, “It appeared to be as though he was fighting for his life or someone was beating him.”
Onika Marques, the aunt of Randolph Marques, just after viewing the autopsy broke down in tears. She said most of his body was burnt, but it appeared as though he tried everything to survive the tragedy.
“He head burn [as well as] he whole right side abdomen and all he face. I could a barely identify he by a tattoo, because when I first go in, I say that’s not he,” Onika Marques said.
She was the only relative present who had received a telephone call from the Ministry of Social Protection on Saturday requesting a meeting at 1 pm yesterday at the Prison’s Sports Club.
Twenty-year-old Marques was one of the two men accused of killing Patsan’s Trading salesman Bharat Ramcharran during a robbery in 2014. He had been committed to stand trial last year, while his co-accused was freed.
The girlfriend of Anthony Primo said she last heard from him on Thursday morning while she was going to visit him and enquired what he needed. “When I reach there they tell me they had some fire last night [Wednesday] and they deh on lock down right now which means they ain’t sure when they will be able to get food. So I stick around lil and I eventually leave,” she said. Sometime later, she was at home asleep when she was awakened by a phone call informing her of Primo’s death.
“I went straight there and then is when everybody tell me about he died and I start holler,” she explained.
According to her, she last saw Primo on Tuesday. “I just can’t take it so easy what happen and I believe that there is much more to it. That is not nothing natural because they had them lock down and they did tek away everything the night before. How in God’s name these people get thing to light a fire?” she queried, calling for justice.
She stated that she had since spoken with a friend of Primo who shared the same cell with him. “The boy told me they beat him and black he out and so and they save certain people and left who they want but this is wrong and I need justice,” she declared.
Primo was one of the two men who were charged last November with two counts of armed robbery. The charge alleged that the men on November 3, at America Street, he robbed Rayburn Fraser and Osafo Ward of $1,600,000 and $540,000, respectively.
Seventeen prisoners died on Thursday morning after fires were started during a protest at the Georgetown Prison, Camp Street.
The fires were started by inmates housed in the Capital Offences section of the prison during renewed unrest, which occurred just before 11 am. At the time, members of the Joint Services were trying to move the prisoners in the wake of the protest the night before, where several fires had been lit. Several others were also injured.
