A former policeman was remanded to prison on Tuesday after he was charged with harbouring two of the prisoners who escaped from the Camp Street jail during the July 9 breakout.
Tion Alleyne, 30, a resident of Lobora Creek, denied the charge which stated that between July 9 and July 23, he received, relieved, comforted, assisted and maintained Mark Royden Williams and Uree Varswyk.
The charge was read to him when he appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.
Bail was refused and the matter was adjourned until September 28.
Stabroek News was informed that Alleyne was taken into custody last week after police received information that he was seen in company of the wanted men. He was questioned and he reportedly admitted to detectives that he provided transportation and meals to the duo following their escape. Other information revealed that Alleyne and Varswyk knew each other since they served together in the police force.
Alleyne was among three men who were arrested and charged in January after the police found an AK-47 assault rifle and a 9mm handgun at a Campbellville, Georgetown residence. The matter is still engaging the court.
Bartica massacre convict Williams, also known as ‘Smallie,’ and murder accused Varswyk, also known as ‘Malcolm Gordon,’ were among six inmates who escaped from the Camp Street. Three of the six, Desmond James, Cornelius Thomas and Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander, have been apprehended. Another escapee, Cobena Stephens, remains on the lam.
Williams is believed to be the mastermind of the Camp Street breakout and based on eyewitness accounts, Varswyk played a major role.
Williams, who had previously attempted to escape lawful custody, was in February of this year sentenced to death after being convicted on seven of the twelve counts of murder in the February 17, 2008 Bartica massacre.
It was revealed by acting Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels at a press conference that based on eyewitness accounts it was Varswyk who shot and killed prison guard Odinga Wickham. Wickham, who was shot several times to the chest, succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital the same evening.
Varswyk was also identified as the person who shot and wounded three other prison officers: Jason Maltay, Drexel Gonsalves and another only identified as Liverpool.
Samuels explained that all four prison officials gave the same account of being shot by Varswyk.
Maltay, 20, and another officer, Hubert Trim, 39, were ambushed in the administrative building. While Maltay was shot once in his right leg, Trim was beaten, and chopped several times about his body and thrown through a window.
Varswyk, a former Tactical Services Unit trainer, was last year committed to stand trial for the murder of Sterling Products Ltd security guard Wilfred Stewart, who was shot multiple times during a foiled robbery at the company’s Providence, East Bank Demerara establishment.
Last month, the police announced a $10 million reward for any information leading to the arrest of Williams, Varswyk, Stephens and Paul Goriah.
Goriah was among thirteen inmates who fled from the holding facility at Lusignan on July 24 after digging a tunnel that took them under the fence and into the backlands. Eleven were recaptured, while one was killed.
