(Trinidad Express) SEVEN prison officers, including a member of the Prison Service executive, are facing suspension following last week Friday’s jailbreak in Port of Spain.
The action follows a meeting yesterday between the Ministry of Justice and the prison administration.
It is expected that the files of the seven officers will be passed on to the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine whether charges will be laid against them for their role in the prison break, which left a policeman dead and created chaos in the city.
Two of the escapees were also killed in the drama that ensued.
Information on the imminent suspensions was disclosed yesterday by president of the Prison Officers Association Ceron Richards.
On Friday, July 24, Allan “Scanny” Martin, Hassan Atwell and Christopher “Monster” Selby staged a jailbreak from the prison on Frederick Street, Port of Spain.
The three acquired firearms and a hand grenade and shot their way out of the prison. One of the men then threw the grenade in the direction of a nearby police vehicle, but the grenade did not go off.
Police Constable Sherman Maynard, who was on patrol with another officer outside the prison, was killed as the men shot their way to freedom.
“Scanny”, 42, who was among 12 men charged with the murder of Xtra Foods CEO Vindra Naipaul-Coolman, was shot dead during an exchange of gunfire with police officers at the entrance of the Port of Spain General Hospital during which a security officer, Anita Bartholomew, was injured.
The freedom of two other prisoners—Atwell and Selby—was also short-lived: Atwell was found shot dead during the early hours of Sunday morning on the compound of the Servol Sunshine Hill Life Centre at Calvary Hill, East Dry River; while Selby gave himself over to officers of the Barataria Police Station.
Sad day for prison officers
Following last week’s prison break, Commissioner of Prisons Sterling Stewart promised there would be a thorough investigation into the incident and that if charges were to be laid, then so be it.
Richards was of a similar view.
He said yesterday: “It is always a sad day in the prison service when these things (suspensions) happen, but the reality was that on Friday something terrible happened and when something like that happens there will be consequences.
“The Prison Officers Association went on record to say that we always needed to support this initiative (investigation) because the prison service exists for the public and therefore the public’s interests must be served.”
He added “it is likely that rogue prison officers were involved in the prison break and they should be brought to justice and face the full brunt of the law”.
Earlier this week as well, Richards was quoted as saying in an interview with the Express: “It is hard to believe that they (rogue prison officers) were not involved. Those inmates shoot their way from inside the prison to outside, almost killing a number of officers and killing a police officer in the process.
“These officers who are allegedly involved must be dealt with the full brunt of the law. This matter must not be swept under the carpet because that will be a slap in the face to all citizens in this country.”
