An enquiry may be held into the apparent suicidal death of an inmate of the New Amsterdam prison, but this depends on the results of a post-mortem examinathion to be conducted shortly, Director of Prisons Dale Erskine said.

He said a greater effort would be made to try to identify those prisoners who might have suicidal tendencies to ensure that the requisite measures are taken.

Jarrel Patha, 21, a Surinamese national, was found hanging from his prison cell around 06:20 hrs on Saturday last.

Erskine said the matter is currently receiving the attention of the police and like with other such matters, statements would be taken from officers who checked the man’s cell prior to the discovery and from prisoners who occupy nearby cells to ascertain whether anything unusual was noticed.

“You see if he had showed tendencies then we would have ensured that we took the necessary steps. But we can’t leave a prisoner without a bed sheet or any of those basic comforts,” Erskine said.

However, he said he viewed the incident as serious since the institution was entrusted with the task of taking care of the prisoners.

“It’s tragic and there’s nothing we could do to replace his life but we wish he had showed some indication that he would have done this and we would have done the necessary,” he continued.

Patha was admitted to prison on November 16, 2006, Erskine had told Stabroek News on the day of the incident and was charged with unlawful possession of ammunition.

He was also charged on January 24 this year for escaping from lawful custody when he attempted to escape from prison officers while attending a medical clinic outside the prison. Erskine said in a statement yesterday that on admission Patha’s age was recorded as 21 years, and reports indicated that he had not exhibited suicidal tendencies prior to this tragic incident.

The prisons chief said too that the prisoner had last been seen alive in his one-man cell around 05:00hrs on Saturday when a security check was made in the confinement area where he was located.