Two more escapees from Camp St Prison identified, police issues wanted bulletin for both murder accused

Police Media Release:
Stafrei Hopkenson Alexander is wanted by the police for questioning in relation to  Murder and Escaping from Lawful Custody ( Georgetown Prison).
 
Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Stafrei Hopkenson Alexander is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-8196, 225-2227, 227-1149, 226-7065, 911 or the nearest police station.
 
All information will be treated with the strictest confidence.
 
Name:                              Stafrei Hopkenson Alexander
 
Ethnic Origin:                African
 
Age:                               32 years
 
Last Known Address:    Laing Avenue, Georgetown
 
 
Sherwin Nero a/k Sherwin Moses c/d “catty” is wanted by the police for questioning in relation to  Murder and Escaping from Lawful Custody ( Georgetown Prison).
 
Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Stafrei Hopkenson Alexander is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 229-2289, 229-2655, 274-0409, 225-6411, 225-8196, 225-2227, 227-1149, 226-7065, 911 or the nearest police station.
 
All information will be treated with the strictest confidence.
 
Name:                              Sherwin Nero a/k Sherwin Moses “catty”
 
Ethnic Origin:                African
 
Age:                               unknown
 
Last Known Address:    Friendship Buxton, ECD & Lot 74 Dennis Street, Sophia

Timeline of the event of Georgetown Prison Fire and Riot – DPI

 

  • 16:45– The Director of Prison, Gladwyn Samuels, is informed of disturbance at Georgetown Prison.
  • Samuels is informed that an officer is being held hostage and that there are sounds of gunshots within the prison
  • Two locations of the prison are set ablaze simultaneously; the Strong Cell Division and the Wooden Prison/Condemn Division
  • A total of five prisoners are observed leaving the prison.
  • The Guyana Fire Service is contacted and responds. Fire are observed at four (4) locations within the prison complex- Fire Chief Marlon Gentle
  • The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are activated. The various Joint-Services are contacted and respond.
  • Eight (8) persons from the prison are transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) receive medical attention at, seven (7) of whom are Prison Officers
  • The Guyana Fire Service arrives on scene with two (2) fire tenders, but the fires quickly spread to other parts of the prison compound
  • With the assistance of the other agencies, the Prison Officials activated the emergency evacuation procedure as fires spread.
  • Guyana Fire Service dispatches more fire tenders to the scene
  • Groups of prisoners are brought out from inside the prison. Some are placed to sit on Camp Street and others inside the Prison Officer Club.
  • 18:35 hrs- Several prisoners, being held in the Prison Officers Club, set fire to the building. The burning building is evacuated Prisoners are moved onto the roadway at the corners of Camp and Bent Streets.
  • Security Forces expand cordons around the scene.
  • Guyana Water Inc. disconnects water supplies to some parts of Georgetown to increase water pressure around Georgetown Prisons to assist in firefighting efforts.
  • Security officials begin transporting prisoners to the Lusignan Prison on the East Coast of Demerara via trucks, and buses.
  • Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence arrives at the GPHC, actives emergency procedures, and updates media on persons admitted and extent of injuries. Public reassured that all measures are in place to deal with mass casualties if necessary
  • 20:00hrs-President David Granger convenes National Security meeting
  • Prison Officer Odinga Wickham succumbs from his injuries. Other wounded prison officers being treated for gunshot wounds and lacerations.
  • Guyana Fire Service cancels all rotations and leave for staff. All instructed to report to their stations.
  • All of the wooden buildings in the Georgetown Prison Complex are destroyed
  • 10:45-Two press conferences are held at the National Communications Network. They are conducted by Fire Chief Marlon Gentle, Chief Prison Officer ag. Gladwin Samuels, Guyana Police Force Commissioner Seelall Persaud and Guyana Defence Force Chief of Staff Col ag. Nazrul Hussain. The second is conducted by Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan.
  • The mastermind of the unrest is identified as Bartica and Lusignan massacre convict Mark Royden Durant aka Royden Williams and Smallie; and Uree Varswyck. The other three have not been identified as yet.
  • The joint services operation continues effort to recapture the escaped prisoners.
  • Members of the public are advised to take all necessary precautions as they go about their activities. Report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
  • 01:50-Remanded murder accused Shawn Collins, 20, of lot 6 Ketley and Drydales Streets who escaped whilst being transported with other prisoners to another location is recaptured on Hadfield Street. He was not among the five original escapees.
  • Initial walk-through inspection of the GT prisons conducted by security officials, no bodies discovered so far
  • Roll calls are conducted at Lusignan Prison to identify and account for those in custody
  • National Security meeting set for 12:00hrs July 10, 2017, at Camp Ayanganna
  • More updates to follow.

 

​​Camp St. Prisoners relocated to Lusignan

Prisoners from the now burned down Camp Street, Georgetown Prison have been relocated to the Lusignan prison and efforts are being made to provide the necessary supplies.

Minster of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, who was at a Press conference at the National Communications Network, assured that the prisoners will be secured for the next 48 hours at the Lusignan prison, while efforts intensify to locate those prisoners on the run.

“We are in the process of providing the necessary things to make them comfortable and make arrangements for them to be placed in other prisons around Georgetown. We are getting some tents and extra lighting in Lusignan, it’s a closed off area.”

He added that simple measures were also implemented such as installing more closed circuit television security systems which led to prisoner officers being caught colluding with prisoners on previous occasions.

“A lot of them for possession for narcotics and they have served some time. There is an early and a late release date, but if you have good behaviour you can have remissions from me….We have to ask the Chancellor to start the process of going to prisons to do situational analysts to see how many remands are there and if their (prisoners) families can pay their bails.”

The Minister assured that the Camp Street prison will be rehabilitated as soon as possible with additional staffing and full capacity.

(DPI)

Gov’t, Law enforcement officers on top of Camp St. Fire situation

Following the massive fire which affected the Georgetown prisons, President David Granger is urgings citizens to practice safety and precautionary measures as the country is still coming to grips with the massive fire that has gutted the Camp Street prison.

The President assured that law enforcement officers are working along with joint services to recapture those who have escaped custody.

The President added, “Well the government is acting quickly to ensure that the prisoners are caught but more important, that those prisoners who were previously accommodated at the Georgetown prison are kept in a secure place and this is our task overnight on this Sunday night and by Monday morning they will be in secure accommodation so Guyanese will be assured that there are not going to be prisoners roaming all about the city or the countryside.”

Yesterday afternoon at approximately 16:45 hours, members of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defense Force and the Guyana Fire Service responded reports of prison unrest and fire at the Camp Street Prison.

With such information coming to the government, the National Security Committee was alerted. Minister of Public Security, Minister of Legal Affairs and other joint services heads met with President David Granger, providing updates with regards to first responses and effects of the fires at the Georgetown Prison.

“Troops were deployed from the Guyana Defense force, special police were deployed from the Guyana Police Force, the fire service was deployed and of course the prison service responded immediately so there was immediate response from all four of those services.” President Granger explained.

The President said that it is hoped that within the next 24-36 hours all prisoners formerly held at the Georgetown Prison will be relocated. These prisons include The Lusignan Prison, Timehri Prison and the Mazaruni Prison. (DPI)

Police issues wanted bulletin for Camp Street Prison escapees

Varswyke ak Malcolm Gordon and Mark Royden Durant aka Royden Williams C/D “Smallie” are wanted by the police in relation to
Murder and Escape from Lawful Custody (Georgetown Prison).
 
Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Uree Varswyke ak Malcolm Gordon and Mark Royden Durant aka Royden Williams C/D “Smallie”  are asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 226-1389,
227-2128, 226-7065, 225-2227, 225-0575, 911 or the nearest police station.
 
All information will be treated with the strictest confidence.
 
NAME: UREE VARSWYCK aka MALCOLM GORDON
DATE OF BIRTH: 1989/06/21
RACE: NEGRO
LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: LOT 30 CHURCH STREET, LESKENDREN, MAHAICONY E.C.D
OFFENCES: MURDER & ESCAPE FROM LAWFUL CUSTODY
DATE OF OFFENCE: 2017/07/09
PLACE OF INCIDENT: GEORGETOWN PRISON, CAMP STREET
2.
 
NAME: MARK ROYDEN DURANT aka ROYDEN WILLIAMS C/D “SMALLIE”
DATE OF BIRTH: 1988/11/14
RACE: NEGRO
LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: FRIENDSHIP BUXTON, E.C.D
OFFENCES: MURDER & ESCAPE FROM LAWFUL CUSTODY
DATE OF OFFENCE: 2017/07/09
PLACE OF INCIDENT: GEORGETOWN PRISON, CAMP STREET

Man sentenced to death for Bartica massacre among prison escapees

Murder accused Uree Voswick.

Prison Director (Ag) Gladwin Samuels confirmed during a press conference earlier Sunday evening confirmed that five prisoners escaped the Camp Street jail following the fire which destroyed a large section of the prison. The escapees have been identified as Mark Royden Williams called ‘Smallie’ or “Durant’ and Uree Voswick.

The others are yet to be identified.

‘Smallie’ was sentenced to death for his involvement in the Bartica Massacre which claimed the lives of 12 persons in 2008.

While Vosmick was charged with the 2014 murder of a Sterling Products Limited security guard during a robbery.

Security forces are on the hunt for the men.

Prison officer Odinga Wickham died while undergoing treatment for his injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital and Simeon Sandy has been identified as the injured prison officer as a result of the Camp Street prison riot. He was reportedly stabbed in his left eye but is said to be in a stable condition at GPHC.

Pastor Massiah reacts Republic Bank robbery, murder: “teach your children to be contented and to deter from certain things”

“Teach your children to be contented and to deter from certain things”, said Massiah. He said two things God has given to us “Time and Opportunity”. The senior pastor of the First Assembly of God Church said “Young people want to achieve things faster and we are living almost, in what he describes as a disposable time. According to Massiah, the Power of Choice remains in the preservation of the individual, who cannot be raised in an environment without the influence of God and then be expected to make the right choices.

Cevons Waste Management withdraws garbage collection services from City until Council pays

Below is the statement from Cevons Waste Management:

“Cevons Waste Management Inc. wishes to inform the public that we have been left with no option but to withdraw waste/garbage collection services which we have been providing on behalf of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council from 7:00 a.m. today Friday 7th July 2017. This withdrawal is due to the non-payment of outstanding money owing to us since August 2015 to date, and the non-honouring of an agreement made between us and the City Council. We regret the inconvenience the citizens of Georgetown suffer and look forward to an amicable settlement with City Hall in the shortest possible time.”

UPDATE: Second Republic bank employee, policemen arrested as investigation into attempted robbery continues

Crime Chief Wendall Blahaum confirmed the arrest on Friday during an interview. Meanwhile, the news of the involvement of the policemen in the failed bank robbery was described as very disappointing news by Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan. He also pointed to steps taken by the police to eradicate rogue elements from the Force.

Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud said the revelations of ranks involved were undesirable.