Hot on the heels of a prisoner escaping from the Georgetown Public Hospital on Tuesday, another one has fled, this time from the New Amsterdam prison.

Troy Otto, 25, of 42 Swamp Street, Pouderoyen escaped from the prison some time between 4 am  and 5.30 am yesterday after forcing apart the steel bars on the northern window of his cell and jumping into the prison yard.

Director of Prisons Dale Erskine told Stabroek News yesterday that Otto was discovered missing when a prison officer went to check on the inmates in the cell that Otto shared with two other prisoners. Erskine said a search was then launched for the man but he was not found. Otto was serving a three-year sentence for trafficking in narcotics as well as a two-year sentence for throwing a corrosive substance at someone.

The window in Otto’s cell faced the back of the prison and he must have made his exit through the back, Erskine said.

When asked how the man could have passed the security barriers, which include a high fence and prison officers who should have been on duty, Erskine said that investigations have already begun to determine how that could have occurred.

The prison director also said “sufficient officers” were supposed to be on duty at the time of the man’s escape.
Meanwhile, Erskine also told Stabroek News that there has been no further word on Joel Fraser, called Quincy London, who escaped from Ward B2 of the Georgetown Public Hospital sometime during the wee hours of Tuesday.
These two escapes are the latest in a long line, which have occurred while prisoners were both out and in prison cells. Quite a few have occurred while prisoners were being taken back to prison after making court appearances.