Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
Captured lockups escapees jailed for two years after guilty plea
Recaptured prisoners, Randolph Marks and Steven Bacchus returned to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday, to answer to charges of escaping from lawful custody, less than two days after they staged a daring escape from the lock-ups.
The heavily shackled prisoners were escorted from the police van and placed in the chute leading to the courtroom by several armed police ranks.
Clad in bright orange uniforms, the men stood before Chief Magistrate Priya 
Sewnarine-Beharry, yesterday and pleaded guilty to the charge which alleged that on Monday, May 19, last, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, they escaped from lawful custody.
Marks was initially facing the court for the murder of Patsan security guard, Bharat Ramcharran, who was shot and killed during a robbery on April 24, last, while Bacchus, 21, was charged with the murder of Police Special Constable Quincy Wright at Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, on January 24, last.
When given a chance to explain, both men told the court that they had not planned to the escape, but did it out of frustration.
In his explanation, Bacchus begged for a short sentence and told the court that he was wrongfully charged with a murder, of which he has no knowledge.
He said that he became frustrated because he had to find $800,000 to pay a lawyer to fight his case and the lawyer did not show up to represent him. His Attorney had left the country instead.
Bacchus said that when he was placed in the holding cell at the Magistrates’ Court, the opportunity presented itself and he escaped.
He claimed that he was reading his Bible, when he saw two T- shirts hanging at the window of the cell. He said that he decided to remove the shirts and saw that the mesh had been removed from the window and thus he climbed through and escaped.
Randolph Marks explained that after he was placed in the holding cell, he noticed two other men escaping through the window.
Marks said that owing to his situation with his family, he decided to join the men.
“When I went downstairs to the lock-up the hole was already open. I didn’t plan anything but because of my situation with my family and so on, I decide to escape. I aint really got nobody to take care of me, no parents or nobody.”
Marks said he is sorry and begged the Magistrate to be lenient with him.
After listening to their explanation, the Chief Magistrate sentenced Marks and Bacchus, each to two years’ imprisonment.
On Monday, four prisoners broke out from the lock-ups at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court around 12:45 hrs during a heavy downpour
The prisoners escaped by ripping the grill work and the mesh that covered the window at the back of the building to provide ventilation to prisoners in the holding cell.
The men then proceeded to climb down the back wall and scale the fence, cutting a stand of razor wire at the top of the fence.
Moments after the escape, Bacchus was recaptured, while his fellow escapee, Marks was found in a house at Freeman Street, East La Penitence, hours later.
Twenty-eight-year-old murder accused Vickram Persaud, of Doctor’s Dam, La Grange, West Bank Demerara, one of the four escapees, was later shot and killed, after he was caught up in one of the roadblocks set to recapture the prisoners.
Armed robbery accused Keron Cummings, the fourth escapee, of Sophia is still on the run. Cummings was in court on twelve different charges, including carjacking and armed robberies.
He was also held in connection with the stealing of a gun from a security guard on January 22, last in Sophia. The guard’s colleague was shot and injured.
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