High-profile murder accused Jermaine ‘Skinny’ Charles escaped from custody at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon.
Police searched several parts of the East Coast for him yesterday but up to press time there was no word on whether there had been any sighting. There was also no statement from the police on what had transpired.
Charles had appeared at Sparendaam for the continuation of the PI into the slayings at the home of former Minister of Agriculture Satyadeow “Sash” Sawh.
According to reports, after “Skinny” had appeared before Magistrate Yohhanseh Cave, he was taken downstairs to the holding area in the police station and disappeared afterwards. Police ranks only realized that the man was missing when they were lining up the other prisoners to take them back to the Camp Street prisons. Onlookers related that the police then launched a frantic search which turned out to be futile.
It was the latest embarrassment for the force which has been beset by similar episodes.
One woman told Stabroek News that she came to the station to look after some personal matters but was asked to wait outside of the compound. She said she was not aware of the reason but heard persons saying that “some prisoner like he escape.”
Another man said that he saw the police peering underneath the station which is about two feet off the ground. He added that he heard some ranks saying that they saw prints in the “sappy” ground under the flooring of the station which would indicate that “Skinny” escaped via a loose floor board and then crawled out unnoticed.
Stabroek News was told that police ranks had launched a search in the cane fields aback of Plaisance, a neighbouring village to Sparendaam.
Charles has been charged along with Dwight Da Silva, Quincy Evans, Terrence John, Delwayne Carrington and a boy who is now 15-years-old for a number of other murders.
He was charged along with Da Silva for the murder of Barbot Paul, the Kaneville, East Bank Demerara businessman who was shot and killed outside his home on August 6. Charles is also accused of killing Devon Charles of Agricola on June 23, Guilford Henry on June 26, 2005 and 12-year-old Kevin Browne on March 18, 2006. He shares the murder charge for Browne with Dego France. Charles is also charged with Da Silva and Evans for being part of a group of men who allegedly murdered five Kaieteur News pressmen – Chetram Persaud, Eion Wegman, Richard Stewart, Mark Maikoo and Shazeem Mohamed in August 2006.
It is also alleged that they killed Wordsworth Grey on August 8. The 15-year-old boy, who was 13 years then, was also charged for that murder. Charles was then charged for the murders of Sawh, Rajpat Sawh, Phulmattie Persaud and Curtis Robinson on April 22 at La Bonne Intention (LBI) East Coast Demerara. David Leander, called ‘Biscuit’, was also charged separately with the LBI slayings.
The let the next fineman escape. This is not good news. Skinny more crazy.
am curious as to how this man got away…did they let him go intentionally.
you asking too many questions there my friend
but small wager he will show up dead somewhere and that will be the end to all the investigations and chatter
that’s how we like it in Guyana
WELL! WELL! WELL! ARE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CARTOON CHARACTERS? ARE THE PLAYING A GAME OF TOM CATCHES JERRY, HE ESCAPES AND THE CHASE BEGINS? I AM UTTERLY EMBARASSED AT THIS LATEST BLUNDER. HOW COULD A PRISONER WHO IS BEFORE THE COURTS WITH SO MANY MURDER CHARGES NOT BE PROPERLY DETAINED. ARE HIGH RANKING OFFICERS INVOLVED ? WHY ALL THIS FOOLISHNESS?
I just have to shake my head and laugh,when would they learn,you said it well,they are playing tom and jerry.Do they know how foolish they look on the outside with these slackness
SHAME ON THE GUYANA LEGAL SYSTEM
I have always had qualms about the Guyanese LEGAL PROCEDURES and this high profile escape shows what a joke the Guyanese Prisons and Courts are.
Will heads roll for this crass system failure? If past examples are anything to go by, the answers is a big fat NO!
The persons who allowed this shocking event to take place will probably be moved to other activities which they will in turn carry out just as incompetently.
Where have we gone wrong?
Changes need to be made and made quickly.
What the FISH CAKE are they doing in Guyana. Listen i haven’t even read the story yet and i’m mad and upset. This can’t be real and i’m not going to believe this. Right now i’m crying inside. When will this all end? How did this Happen?
While it is obvious the police are negligent, one would think that a high profile alleged killer would be shackled in chains, in addition to having those chains fastened to the floor as happens in some US courts.
Once again, an accused had to show law enforcement where yet another loophole exists: wake up, government and GPF, wooden floors and walls need to be replaced with concrete! Let them chisel their way out, not simply remove a few rotten boards.
I can foresee concrete walls and floors being built now that this other ignominy has befallen an inept force. No one thought concrete reinforcements were necessary for police stations until the bandits began greeting them with 7.62 rounds. Always reactive, these people.
I am tempted to laugh at our law enforcement agencies, but with innocent lives being threatened in situations like these, I can only express some hope that this criminal will be apprehended.
WAKE UP, GPF! WAKE UP GOVERNMENT!
Yo! Yo! you shackle people with chains in Guyana? you want the GHRA come out saying this is inhumane and not even animals should be treated in this manner.
Now with “skinny” back with his gang it will be more mayhem. I hope this is a lesson to the GPF but as you said they are reactors and then will become complacent after a few weeks perhaps days
This is really embarrasing, how did he get to escape? all these officers who were responsible for hm should be disciplined fortwith, now another bandit is on the loose to wrech havoc on the country.
come on now….skinny didnt escape….he was freed……because if any of u guys are there when skinny and the others go to court you would think otherwise…..the security does be so tight……its highly impossible for him to just walk out the court…..it would however be in skinny’s best interest to surrender himself cause he will either end up dead or be blamed for more crimes after fineman is out of the picture
Blacka,
You are right, Skinny was freed. LOL but it’s not even funny!!!! Guyana is a mess…There is something big goin down, mark my words..
Our police is such a big joke. One would think a prisoner with such serious charges against him would be in a cell with hand cuffs and shackles on.
These police are crazy in guyana, y didn’t they hand cuff the boy knowing that he’s an criminal, keep an close eye on him.. suck teeth