A report in relation to the March 3 Camp Street Prison fatal fire was yesterday sent to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) following the completion of a police investigation into the matter.
Stabroek News understands that the file contains the names of two inmates who allegedly started the fire as part of a detailed investigation which was done by the police.
On March 3, just before 11 am, a fire was started by inmates housed in the Capital Offences section of the prison. At the time, members of the Joint Services were trying to move the prisoners in the wake of a protest the night before when several fires had been lit.
The inmates who died were Jermaine Otto, Randolph Marques, Rayon Paddy, Sherwin Trotman, Shaka McKenzie, Anthony Primo, Andrew Philander, Aaron Eastman, Kirk Clarke, Latchman Partap, Rohan Teekaram, Hillary Amos, Clifton Joseph, Chetram Dwarandat, Mohamed Asraf Ally, Richard Hubbard and Delroy Williams. Several others were injured.
Stabroek News had previously reported that one inmate who managed to survive the tragedy named two prisoners who he said started the blaze.
According to reports, the prisoner told police investigators in the presence of prison officials that it was Otto and McKenzie who lit a mattress on fire resulting in the deadly inferno.
The inmate is claiming that after the fire was lit, bottle corks were placed behind the locks of the cell to prevent prison wardens from opening them. This was because prisoners were scared to go into prison yard after they heard some inmates were being isolated there and assaulted.
A Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the matter began on March 10 and has since ended after a two-month extension was granted.
It heard the testimony of approximately 15 witnesses including inmates. The CoI was set up by President David Granger to enquire into all of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the prisoners and to make recommendations on any action that should be taken to avoid a recurrence.
Its mandate also included investigating, examining and reporting on the causes, circumstances and conditions that led to the fatal disturbance and also determining whether the conduct of the staff of the Guyana Prison Service in any way contributed to the deaths.
Stabroek News was told that the police investigation revealed that Otto and McKenzie were the ones responsible for their own demise as well as the other 15 inmates who perished.
