A 17-year-old was on Friday sentenced to one year imprisonment at the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) after he was charged for escaping lawful custody while he was in detention at the Juvenile Holding Center in Sophia, Georgetown on August 9, 2018.
The sentence was handed down by Magistrate Leron Daly who informed the court that the juvenile will be sent to the correctional facility until he attains the age of 18.
The Magistrate explained that by then he will be prosecuted in the court of law as an adult.
The teen was placed in juvenile custody after he was lawfully confined on a criminal charge of unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition without being licenced to carry a firearm.
Based on reports, on August 9, 2018, the teen was taken out of his cell by police to be handed over to a social worker when he decided to make a sprint in a bid to escape.
The lad jumped over the western fence of the compound and made good his escape.
However, he was subsequently rearrested since Close Circuit Television (CCTV) footage captured the direction in which he went.
The detention of the lad at NOC comes on the heels of the Social Cohesion Ministry launching an investigation after 13 juveniles escaped from the said facility.
According to the Ministry it is to determine if the standard operating procedures (SOPs) were followed, and whether the staff had colluded with the residents to facilitate their escape.
The Police have since placed several road blocks along the main access road on the Essequibo Coast in an attempt to recapture the residents.
