Juvenile prisoners overpower police, free colleagues - five recaptured

Juvenile prisoners overpower police, free colleagues – five recaptured

May 07, 2020 News

Police have recaptured five juvenile inmates who ambushed and assaulted police guards Tuesday night before freeing several of their colleagues at the Sophia Holding Centre.

The Sophia holding centre where two juveniles overpowered police ranks before freeing 10 of their colleagues

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, yesterday said he has asked for a report on the matter.
According to the police statement, “stringent efforts” by ranks are currently underway to recapture seven of twelve inmates of the Juvenile Holding Centre who escaped from the facility about 23:30h on Tuesday, May 5, 2020.”
Police said that during the escape, two ranks were assaulted and have since received medical attention.
“Meanwhile, a thorough investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the escape.”
Among the escapees were said to be inmates accused of murder and other serious crimes.
The five were recaptured in Georgetown.
Kaieteur News was told that based on preliminary details, two of the juveniles broke out of their holding areas earlier and hid.
At the changing to the shift after 10.00 p.m., two police ranks on guard were attacked and beaten.
The two juveniles relieved the ranks of keys which they used to free the others.
It is not an easy walk for police ranks who are assigned to the Sophia site.
In fact, a Kaieteur News report in 2016, had pointed to a potential powder keg, where violent juveniles attack ranks with makeshift weapons and bags of faeces, and where minors who have committed petty offences are housed with others who are charged with murder.
Ranks who work there believe that while eyes are on the Georgetown Prisons, the authorities should also keep a close watch on conditions at the Sophia-located facility.
Some staffer had noted that a number of teens who have committed offences including murder, had been in the holding centre for three years, and had displayed violence towards other juveniles and even towards police ranks.
They cited a case where a 16-year-old attempted to stab a police rank with a piece of sharpened metal.
Ranks had even disclosed that juveniles have even yanked out ‘live’ electrical wiring from the cells to rig up booby traps for the staff.
But that is not the only threat that the ranks face.
“There are times when you try to talk to them and they would sh—t or have urine in plastic bags and they would throw it at you if they can’t get their own way.”
Some claimed that the juveniles “show one face” when the social workers are present, but “another face” when the social workers leave.
“The administrators and staff should allow the police to do their work with respect to discipline, even though they are administrators,” one rank said. “We are also trained in social work.”
To correct overcrowding, some staffers suggested that the facility be expanded so that more cells can be constructed.
In 2016, three inmates broke out. The first one was caught at Rose Hall Town, Corentyne. Police and army ranks apprehended a second at Tain Settlement, Corentyne, Berbice.
According to reports, the teens used a cutlass and a few pieces of wood from a bed to dig a hole in the lower flat of the concrete building to get out of Cell Two. They then scaled a fence.