A manhunt is currently underway for three inmates, including a murder accused, who escaped from a holding bay at the Lusignan Prison during the wee hours of yesterday morning.
At a media briefing yesterday afternoon, Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels blamed a lack of vigilance by the officers on duty for the escape, which occurred around 4.20 am, when the men scaled the fence.
The inmates have been identified as Dextroy Pollard, of Wales Village, West Bank Demerara (WBD), Travis Evans, of ‘C’ Field, Sophia, and Sudesh Dyal, of Wales Backdam, WBD.
Evans had been remanded on a murder charge, while both Pollard and Dyal were being held for the offence of break and enter and larceny. Dyal was also charged with escaping from lawful custody.
Just last Friday, Pollard was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for break and enter and larceny.
Samuels said that a number of search parties have since been deployed in several areas in regions Three and Four, where the inmates are likely to have fled.
However, up to yesterday afternoon, there was no sighting of any of the men.
Samuels yesterday told reporters that at the time of the incident, several ranks—both prison officers and the police—were on duty at the Holding Bay facility. The Holding Bay facility is divided into three sections, which are being referred to as Holding Bay 1, 2 and 3.
Holding Bay 1 holds mostly remanded prisoners. However, due to the need for segregation of inmates feuding amongst themselves, Samuels said there would be instances where convicts are housed in that bay.
The holding bay facility is surrounded by four towers, which, according to Samuels, would allow ranks to have a ‘bird’s-eye view.’
The escape, Samuels said, occurred between Towers 2 and 3.
At 6.25 am yesterday, Samuels was notified by the officer-in-charge of the Lusignan Prison that three inmates escaped from the facility.
As a result, he said in keeping with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), two measures were immediately taken: the review of CCTV footage and a physical muster to ensure the number of prisoners who were locked down in the Holding Bay facility were accounted for and, if not accounted for, to verify the amount that were missing.
During the review of the CCTV footage, Samuels said, they discovered that the three escaped prisoners had scaled the fence.
“The first prisoner would have crossed at 4.29 am (yesterday) and the last person went over somewhere about 4.32 am (yesterday),” he said.
Prior to them going over the fence, Samuels said, they would have made a lot of efforts to part the razor wire in order to make their way through.
According to Samuels, the officers were interviewed but provided little or no information. “Very little, if any. Even when they were asked to explain what was happening many of them have little or nothing to say,” he said.
Not alert
Samuels related that based on the investigation up to that point, it was clear that the officers were not as alert as they should have been.
“It is clear—especially taking into consideration the close proximity of the two towers and the number of ranks deployed in those two towers—that those ranks were not alert and I am forced to conclude that it is very likely that they were sleeping, thus resulting in them not observing the prisoners, first in the attempt to get the razor wire separated in order to pass and then during the process of them escaping by scaling the fence,” he explained.
He also said he is convinced that there was no collusion in this instance, taking into account the calibre of prisoners who escaped. “I do not believe that they (the inmates) possess that level of influence and I do not want to go in that direction. As I see it, it appears clearly to be a situation whereby ranks were not alert,” Samuels noted. “It is clear that from the footage persons (ranks) were not alert. The time that the people (inmates) took from the time that they started to separate the razor wire, they (ranks) had more than adequate time to observe what was happening. Even if at the initial stage they did not, it went on too long for them not to observe and more so five ranks in very close proximity while there were several other ranks on duty in very close proximity to the point of escape,” he added.
‘Significant adjustments’
The escape from the facility has once again raised questions about the security measures in place.
The Lusignan Prison and the general prison system have been beset by a series of breakouts and the smuggling of items into jail houses.
However, Samuels said that the Guyana Prison Service and the other heads of Service would have carefully reviewed the previous escapes from the facility and as a result of those significant adjustments were made in terms of the deployment of staff at the facility, including the quality and number of staff and the hours that they are on duty.
“…And in keeping with reviews we would have done or changes we would have made since the last escape, ranks are no longer detailed to work those towers for twelve hours. They work six hours. Which means that their ability to be focused and vigilant during their period of duty should be much higher,” he said.
The aim of this, he said, is to ensure that the ranks are more alert during the course of their duties.
“While I do not want to prejudge the situation, having reviewed the CCTV footage, it is clear that the ranks who were deployed to work did not execute their duties as they should have,” Samuels noted.
He lamented that several systems are in place to ensure that the officers remains alert. “So I am quite sure that the investigators will be checking to ensure that all of these steps that are in place were adequately followed,” he said.
Samuels noted that while steps have been taken by the prison administration to change the situation on the ground, enforcement is important. “That is why there are various levels of supervisors, who are responsible for ensuring that persons who are responsible for carrying our various functions do so, in keeping with the way it has to be done,” he added.
When asked if he takes the blame for the situation, Samuels responded, “I am an administrator. As far as I execute my duties, I do so to the best of my ability and that is something that while I am responsible for the Prison Service, I would have done all that I can in terms of ensuring systems are in place for the security of the location.”
