The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has advised that a Coroner’s Inquest be held into the fatal March 3 Camp Street Prison fire, which resulted in the deaths of 17 inmates.
This was confirmed yesterday by Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum. The inquest is expected to commence shortly.
A report in relation to the fatal fire was sent to the Chambers of the DPP on June 27, following the completion of a police investigation.
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.
Chaos ensued and 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, all inmates, died. Several others were injured.
An inmate had named two of the now dead prisoners as having started the blaze. The prisoner told police investigators in the presence of prison officials that Otto and McKenzie had set fire to a mattress.
The inmate claimed 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 as they had heard that some inmates were being isolated there and assaulted.
A Commission of Inquiry had been 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.
It concluded that the prisoners were mostly to blame for the deaths of 17 inmates and urged the formation of a committee to focus on reducing the overcrowding in the prison system where at least 60% of the population are on remand.
