Three murder suspects escape from Lusignan Prison

Oct 22, 2020 News

Kaieteur News – Three murder suspects have escaped from the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara. The prisoners, according to a police report, escaped between 17:30hrs on Tuesday October 20, 2020 and 06:00hrs on Wednesday October 21, 2020.

Murder accused: Mark Rafino

According to the police report, the escapees are: Mark Rafino, called ‘Mark’, 25, a labourer of Parika Facade, East Bank Essequibo; Alex Matthias, 20, of Good Hope Dock Yard, Essequibo Coast and Arnold Bruce Kennedy, 19, of 847 Zeeburg Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara.
It was revealed that the escapees jumped the south eastern fence and made good their escape. The prisoners, it was documented, were checked around 17:00hrs on Tuesday night and around 23:00hrs ranks were informed that some prisoners had escaped.

Murder accused: Alex Mathias

An alarm was made and the ranks immediately conducted a search around the prison and its nearby environs but they were unable to locate the prisoners. However, yesterday morning a head count was conducted and it revealed that three prisoners were missing, checks were made and the prisoners were identified as Rafino, Matthias and Kennedy.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the three murder accused is asked to contact the nearest police station or 225-6411. All information will be treated with the strictest confidentiality, according to police.
On January 4, 2019, Matthias was admitted to the prison for the murder of 23-year-old Kevin Betancourt, who was stabbed and killed on Monday December 31, 2019, around 21:30hrs at Pomona Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast.

Murder accused: Arnold Bruce Kennedy.

According to reports, Matthias was involved in a fist fight with a young man from the area mentioned and the deceased was reportedly connected to the person involved in the scuffle with Matthias.

On New Year’s Eve, Matthias who was at the time intoxicated was confronted by the deceased, who reportedly enquired about the fight with his associate. This angered Matthias, and he allegedly whipped out a knife and stabbed Betancourt to his left side chest.

Rafino, on the other hand, is one of the five accused in the murders of Better Hope money changer, Aaron Latchman, and his 18-year-old daughter, Arianna Latchman, who were killed on July 4, 2019, at Robert Street, Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, during the course or furtherance of a robbery. He was admitted to the prison on July 15, 2019 for that offence.
According to reports, on the day in question, Aaron Latchman arrived home around 15:15hrs and was attempting to park his car in his yard when two gunmen struck. One of the gunmen reportedly entered the house and shot Aaron Latchman’s daughter. The other attacked Aaron Latchman, and the two scuffled which resulted in a bag ending up in a neighbour’s yard.
The gunman who had shot Aaron Latchman’s daughter then exited the house and came to his accomplice’s aid, shooting Latchman as well. After Latchman fell to the ground, the attackers snatched up a bag of cash and fled.
The killers escaped in a car and the moneychanger and his daughter were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where they were both pronounced dead on arrival.
On July 24, 2019, murder accused Kennedy, was admitted to the Lusignan Prison. He is among three fishermen who are jointly charged with the murder of a fellow fisherman. It is alleged that on July 18, 2019 at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, Kennedy and two others murdered 20-year-old Alvin Seenarine called ‘Chockoloo’, of 820 ‘G’ Zeelugt North, East Bank Essequibo.
On the day in question, Seenarine and the three accused had a misunderstanding and the men then armed themselves with cutlasses and inflicted several chops on Seenarine. The victim was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. (Renay Sambach)

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