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48 NOC inmates appear in court

Aug 28, 2012 News

–    Eight charged with arson

Forty-eight (48) inmates of the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) at Ondeerneeming, Essequibo Coast, appeared yesterday before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Charity Magistrate’s Court to answer to charges of arson and escaping from a training facility while being detained.
The juveniles who were all dressed in their uniforms, some without footwear, listened as the charges were read to them, before they were called upon to respond to the specific charges. Their ages range from 14 to 16.
The children were unrepresented, however senior staff at NOC were in attendance.
Eight of the 48 were charged with arson, while 40 were arraigned for escaping from a training school.
Twelve of the inmates are female, while thirty-six are male.
Thirteen of the juveniles pleaded guilty to escaping from the NOC, while the remaining 35 entered not guilty pleas.
The court heard that over fifty inmates were facilitated at both the Suddie and Aurora police stations.
Magistrate Daly was not very comfortable with the idea of those children having to spend time in two separate prison facilities, but made a decision based on insufficient space. Thus, sixteen of the inmates were remanded to the juvenile facility in Georgetown, while the other 32 were returned to the New Opportunity Corps.
Those who pleaded guilty will return to court on October 4 at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court, following the filing of probation reports on September 20.
On Thursday August 23rd, inmates set fire to both a female dormitory and the tailor shop at the facility.
The court heard an explanation from one of the male inmates charged with arson.
The teen, who pleaded guilty and chose to explain, told the court that on August 23, he and some other students had ventured into the craft shop.
He said he accidentally lit a match which burnt one of his fingers. The match fell and subsequently ignited one of the wooden buildings.
On Wednesday August 22, 120 of the NOC’s inmates staged a daring escape.
The police were successful in recapturing some, while the others turned themselves in the following day.
At around 19:45hrs on Thursday, August 23, some of the juveniles set fire to the tailor shop and the female dormitory.
The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony has since engaged officials at NOC and has said a team would be established to probe the recent incidents.

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