An inmate of the Camp Street prison was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Hospital around 1 pm on Saturday and the circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear.

Dead is Nolan Noble, 35, formerly of Fairs Rust McKenzie, Linden.

Several efforts to contact senior prison officials for a comment on the circumstances of his death proved futile.

When Stabroek News made contact with the man’s relatives yesterday, they had not yet identified the body nor were they given an official explanation as to how he might have died.

Noble’s brother, Royston Noble told Stabroek News that sometime around 4 pm on Saturday he received a phone call from a male prison officer who told him at first that his brother was not well and was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH). He said that he did not panic at this because his brother, who has some mental health issues, is normally taken to the Observation Ward when he starts to “act up.” The man however then told him that his brother had died.

Royston Noble related that around 8:25 pm on Saturday a female officer called and asked if he had heard that his brother had died. He said that she told him she saw on his brother’s card that he was discovered motionless and was examined by medical personnel. Royston said that the officer continued to tell him that his brother had a laceration above his right eye and a puncture wound at the back of his head.  He said that he had asked the officer if his brother was breathing when he was found but she said that she could not say.

A little while after, Royston said that the same officer called him back and told him that a family member should report to the Alberttown Police station, since “this is a police matter.”

Since that phone call no one else has been in contact with the family.

Nolan Noble was on remand for the murder of Ricardo Allicock, who was killed on a basketball court at Christianburg, Linden several years ago.

Hospital sources told Stabroek News that Noble was ill and may have fallen, hitting his head in the process.

When he arrived at the institution they said, blood was oozing from his nose and no marks of violence were visible on his body. Noble’s trial was set to come up shortly.

The body is at the GPH mortuary and the deceased’s mother plans to identify him today. Another prisoner, Edwin Niles died at the Georgetown Hospital after sustaining injuries at the Georgetown prison during questioning about ammunition that he was found with. His death raised concerns about torture and there have been several calls for an independent inquiry into his demise. (Melissa Charles)