Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum has confirmed that a vehicle suspected to be that which was hijacked by the 5 prison escapees last evening following a series of devastating events at the Camp Street Prison, was found abandoned in North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
However, the driver of the motor car, Matthew Shivtahal who was reportedly abducted by the fugitives is still missing.
“We have not yet been able to establish whether or not the driver is still with them…or if he was released,” Blanhum told Inews on Monday afternoon.
Based on information received, on Sunday, Shivtahal was driving a burgundy 212 motor car, PKK 4103 in the vicinity of Camp and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown in the company of a passenger along with her children.
He was reportedly stopped by the escapees who were armed with guns. While the other occupants were ordered out of the vehicle, Shivtahal was held at gunpoint and ordered to flee the scene with the criminals.
Police have not yet apprehended any of the five escapees, one of which was identified as Lusignan and Bartica Massacre convict, Royden Durant Williams, called “Smallie.”
Lusignan Prison update
Meanwhile, on Monday morning a lone shot was reportedly fired at the Lusignan Prison after, according to officers, a prisoner attempted to scale the fence of the compound holding the transferred Camp Street prisoners. A rank on duty noticed his attempt and fired one warning shot in the air, which caused the prisoner to immediately discontinue his daring act.
Moreover, hours after the Camp Street prisoners were relocated to the Lusignan penitentiary, relatives of the imprisoned individuals gathered in numbers to be informed as to whether their loved ones were injured or transferred to either the East Coast Prison or the one in Timehri.
Some of the disgruntled loved ones further demanded a list of the prisoners deemed uninjured to be published, highlighting that they are still in the dark about whether or not their family members are accounted for.
Some persons were able to have food sent into the prison for their respective family members at around 13:00hrs.
Others were also overheard questioning prison officials as to why they were not allowed to send in clothes or water to their loved one.
The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) was also dispatched to distribute materials such as mattresses, blankets and water among other items to be used by the displaced prisoners.
Thus far, the exact number of prisoners accounted for has not been released. However, media representatives were told that at least 100 inmates were relocated to the Timehri Prison while the others remain at the East Coast Penitentiary. The Camp Street Prison, up to Sunday morning, held 1018 prisoners.
This publication was informed that Magistrates were called in to the Lusignan Prison area to adjudicate on cases where prisoners were remanded for petty or non-violent crimes, with the objective being to have them placed on bail so as to minimize the congestion.
Up to press time, the amount of prisoners placed on bail, if any, has not been confirmed.
Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud in providing an update, after the National Security Meeting which was held at Camp Ayanganna following the situation at the Georgetown Prison on Sunday, said that “there are five that are still at large, four of the five we have confirmed their identities and we are still to confirm the identity of the fifth person, we had information that has been partially confirmed of one escape sighting in Georgetown.”
Addressing the transfer of Camp Street prisoners to the Lusignan prison, the Top Cop said that “prisoners are being attended to, the conditions there are little harsh but there will be significant improvements to that within the next 24hours.” (Ramona Luthi)
