A prisoner housed at the Lusignan Prison had to be treated yesterday for injuries sustained after he was reportedly chopped by another inmate.
According to reports reaching this newspaper, the man whose identity was not given was chopped and had to be treated at the facility for a minor injury; he also refused to name his attacker.
In light of such, Stabroek News made several attempts to contact Director of Prisons Gladwyn Samuels for a comment on the situation, however such attempts proved futile.
Meanwhile, Samuels in an interview with the Department of Public Information yesterday morning explained that officials were working hard to establish order at the Lusignan Prison.
“As it relates to what is happening generally at the Lusignan Prison, we are still in the process of working very hard to establish proper control and order at the location. While a lot of the prisoners are cooperating with us, there are some rogue elements amongst them. Efforts are being made to have that situation rectified,” the warden explained.
“We have established a louder public address system today so instructions are being clearly given to inmates so they cannot say that they were not briefed or given clear instructions as it relates to how they should operate,” he added.
In addition to this, Samuels said that as of yesterday morning, officials were working hard to complete a list of prisoners who had been accounted for, and their locations, as well as, those who were granted bail or reduced sentences which when completed would be submitted to the Minster of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan by the end of yesterday.
“I know that the media is seeking a lot of information as it relates to those who have been discharged, who are at large, and we are working on compiling those lists so that information can be provided hopefully by this afternoon. We have several persons putting this list together and once completed, it will submitted to the Minister of Public Security and I’m sure he would be more than willing to share that information with the general public,” he shared.
“I am confident that this will bring some sense of relief to those persons who are speculating that there are a number of persons at large in wake of Sunday’s fire,” the warden added.
Extended
Meanwhile, Stabroek News during a visit to the facility noted that the police barriers had been extended to cover most of the access road to the Lusignan Prison.
Positioned just behind the barrier were officials from the prison, who had set up a base where they engaged relatives of those incarcerated.
One woman who spoke to this newspaper said that she and a number of other persons had been further up along the access road waiting to hand over supplies for their relatives on the inside when they were told the barrier was being extended.
During the visit, this newspaper was able to witness what was considered a “walk to freedom” by one prisoner who had been discharged from the penitentiary yesterday afternoon.
The young man, after clearing the police barricade and with tears welling up in his eyes, was embraced by a relative before entering a car and leaving the area.
Other persons who were there explained that some individuals had received phone calls saying that their loved ones would also be released yesterday, thus, they were out there hoping that they too would be able to leave Lusignan with their relatives.
As previously reported by this newspaper, several magistrates were selected to hear cases at the Cecil Kilkenny Prison Officers’ Training School which is located a short distance away from the Lusignan Prison.
This, as understood, is in keeping with efforts to reduce the prison population in the wake of Sunday’s massive fire at the Camp Street prison.
This newspaper understands that those eligible for bail included persons remanded on charges of embezzlement; obtaining false documents; uttering false information; threatening language; larceny; fraud; perjury; damage to property; smoking illegal substances or in possession of improvised smoking utensils; being in possession of cannabis below 50g; possession of cocaine below 25g and dangerous driving.
In addition to this, there was also a review of bail for persons who were charged with possession of cannabis from 51g to 1 kilogram, and possession of cocaine, from 26g to 1 kilogram. It was noted however, that conditions will be applied to bail granted to inmates who are charged with unlawful wounding and carnal knowledge.
Meanwhile, eligibility for reduced sentences was limited to those prisoners who only had a few months left on their jail sentences.
