CoI into prison deaths…Inmate maintains tear gas was thrown

Michael Lewis

Inmate Michael Lewis yesterday maintained that tear gas was thrown into the Capital Division of the Camp Street Prison on the day a fire raged through the area claiming 17 lives.

He was responding to assertions by counsel for the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Police Force that no tear gas was thrown.

Lewis was testifying at the Commission of Inquiry set up by President David Granger into the deaths on March 3rd, 2016. The hearings are being held at the Department of the Public Service, Waterloo Street.

Lewis also testified that the destruction to the wall separating the blocks in the Capital Division had been carried out on the first night of unrest and was intended to aid in communication between the prisoners.

Lewis had on Tuesday testified that a hole had been made in the wall separating Blocks A and B of the Capital Division after prison officials locked the door to Block A.