A file has been completed and will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice to ascertain whether any prison officers are criminally culpable for the escape of Akeem Wong who is now being sought in relation to a double murder.
A joint services team is still searching for Wong.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Stabroek News yesterday that the prison officers were initially contacted and questioned by investigators and later released. However, a file has been completed and will be forwarded to the DPP for legal advice.
While police intensify their investigation into the double murder of Nellie Gomes, 75, and her son, David Gomes, 49, both of D’Urban Street, Wortman-ville, at Saxacalli, Esse-quibo River, allegedly by prison escapee Wong, the two prison officers from the Mazaruni prison were taken into custody.
The murders occurred sometime between 17.00 hours and 20.00 hours last Friday.
A source told Stabroek News that the officers from the Mazaruni prison were at the Bartica police station assisting with investigation regarding Wong’s escape on February 15. Blanhum also disclosed that a special Joint Services unit was deployed to the location in pursuit of Wong.
Investigations revealed that the suspect went to the victims’ house at Saxacalli and asked for something to eat and directions. The
suspect was given food and also imbibed vodka with David Gomes after which he spent some time at the location. He allegedly armed himself with a cutlass and dealt the man several chops about his body. Nellie Gomes went to her son’s rescue but she too was dealt several chops about her body. Both of the deceased had multiple chop wounds about their bodies, with both sustaining several wounds to their heads. The suspect then attempted to clean up the blood but the sound of an approaching boat scared him and he ran off into some nearby bushes and escaped. Wong is believed to have been wounded by David Gomes during their altercation.
Wong, who was serving a 15-year sentence for rape, had escaped from the Mazaruni prison compound at around 07:20am on February 15, 2024, the Guyana Prison Service had stated.
