(Trinidad Guardian) The two prison escapees who were still at large up to late yesterday have promised to surrender to police in exchange for justice. Olatungi Denbow and Micheal Findley, who were among eight remand inmates who broke out of the Golden Grove Prison in Arouca last Wednesday, posted a video on social media claiming their innocence and calling for justice.
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They are charged with the murders of Laventille couple Andre La Touche and Abiola Noel at their home at Eastern Quarry in February 2016.
Crime Stoppers has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the recapture of the two men. The six other escapees, Mikhale Mohammed, Steffon Austin, Joshua Janet, Brent Johnson, Kerry Valentino and Atiba Sealey, were recaptured within hours.
In the video, Denbow claimed they were framed by a female State witness and expressed concern the authorities are only concerned about was putting them “back in jail.”
“The witness’ statement doh even add up, slightly…to the evidence brought by the investigating officer,” he claimed
He said he feared it would take years before their matters are called before the High Court court and there is no guarantee the witness would testify.
“It have a $50,000 reward for information leading to us. It costing the state so much to get somebody to appear in court. Let us be real. And she (witness) have seven statements in court. Let we have our day in court sooner rather than later, please. Mr Prime Minister…Mr Rowley we ain’t hearing nothing from you.”
They also called on Police Commissioner Gary Griffith and Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard to intervene in the matter.
“We don’t intend to be a danger to society no more. We ready to hand over we self. We just want fairness, as soon as all yuh ready for justice…seriousness. Them in authority let us bring the country back to a calm. This now right, it is not fair. Let we try and get to the bottom of this. Don’t judge the book by its cover,” Denbow said.
In response, Griffith said the men are free to give themselves up.
“Nobody stopping them. I would strongly advise that they do so quickly. Their guilt or innocence is not my business or concern. At this time they are escaped felons and our job is to a apprehend them,” he said.
Griffith said he would “hunt them down with the same determination as we are doing now to put these two where they belong.”
Prison Commissioner Gerard Wilson advised the men to give themselves up in the presence of an attorney.
“Let the court process deal with the rest,” he said.
Wilson said he has received a preliminary report on the jailbreak and has appointed an investigating officer who has been given 30 days to complete a full-scale probe.
