Hospitalized prisoner escapes via A&E ceiling

A man arrested for an alleged simple larceny continues to evade police up to press time after he escaped custody by crawling into the ceiling of the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.
According to a release issued yesterday by the institution, “on the eve of November 2 it was reported to the Chief Public Safety Officer of the GPHC that a male of East Indian descent, about 22 years of age and name given as Mohamed Ali was arrested for an alleged simple larceny [and] was brought to the A&E unit and escaped custody and ventured into the ceiling of the A&E Unit”.

The release further stated that the most recent search was conducted at approximately 15:00 hours but the individual was not found. According to the hospital Public Relations Officer Alero Procter, information reaching her indicates that the prisoner had asked to use the washroom when he escaped into the ceiling. The only other exit point is in the female medical ward or the point where Ali entered, the PRO said.

The man was reportedly brought in by Tactical Service Unit officers. The PRO said from what she understood of the case, Ali’s father was brought to the medical institution for treatment and the alleged simple larceny involved the escapee targeting his father.

Meanwhile, a patient of the female surgical ward, which is located on the floor above the female medical ward, said she overheard ward maids saying that a nurse had spotted the man in the female medical ward washroom.

A senior police officer told Stabroek News last evening that a report was made that a man had escaped from police custody at the hospital and was hiding in the roof. Several ranks scoured the roof yesterday and found no one.