Six escapees verified on the run, two more accounted for–Minister Ramjattan

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, July 13, 2017

Six escapees are now being sought by the Joint services. They are Bartica massacre convict Mark Royden Durant, Uree Varswyck aka Malcolm Gordon charged with robbery-murder, Stafrei Alexander, Desmond James, Cornelius Thomas and Cobena Stephens.

This was verified today by Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, at a press conference at his office. He explained that two more prisoners were accounted for. There was some difficulty initially as prisoners were wont to cooperate in the verification process, he explained. The process has since been improved as the process of transferring inmates to other prison facilities commenced and resulted in the reduction in numbers, the minister added.

Minister Ramjattan corrected false media reports which stated that 300 prisoners were released. He reiterated that it is not that 300 prisoners were released, 83 persons have been removed to the Mazaruni Prison, 90 have been removed to the New Amsterdam Prison 48 have been removed to the Timehri Prison.

“The early release that I granted totaled 57. The magistrates’ release, 26 were placed on self-bail and as a result of reduction of bail and moneys being found, an additional eight found bail moneys for their release, totaling 34,” The minister pointed out.

The Public Security Minister added that 151 other prisoners have been transferred from the open area to the confines of the Lusignan Prison building. In  the initial holding area just over 500 prisoners remain in the open section,  463 prisoners have been transferred from the open area.

 

By: Paul McAdam