Two of three prison escapees recaptured

Oct 23, 2020 News

Still at large: Mark Rafino

Kaieteur News – Two of the three murder suspects that recently escaped from the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara, were yesterday recaptured and placed back in custody where they are assisting with the investigation into the circumstances surrounding their escape and being processed for court.
According to a release from the Prison Services, swift and tactical action by members of the Joint Services acting on information received resulted in Alex Matthias, 20, of Good Hope Dock Yard, Essequibo Coast and Arnold Bruce Kennedy, 19, of 847 Zeeburg Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara, being recaptured at Zeelugt Public Road, East Bank Essequibo. However, the third murder suspect Mark Rafino, called ‘Mark’, 25, a labourer of Parika Facade, East Bank Essequibo, is still at large.
The Director of the Prison Services, Gladwin Samuels, expressed his gratitude to all the persons who helped to get the information out in the public domain about the escapees, the support from the public for providing information on their whereabouts, and members of the Joint Services for conducting a clinical recapture.

Recaptured escapees: Arnold Bruce Kennedy (left) and Alex Mathias

The three murder suspects escaped from the Holding Bay at Lusignan Prison between Tuesday October 20, 2020 and Wednesday October 21, 2020. According to a police report, the prisoners escaped by jumping the south-eastern fence. It was reported that prison officers made checks on the prisoners around 17:00hrs on Tuesday. At around 23:00hrs, ranks were informed that some prisoners had escaped, after which checks were then made around the prisons and its nearby environs but no one was located. At 6:00hrs on Wednesday, a head count was conducted and it revealed that three prisoners were missing; checks were made and the prisoners were identified as Matthias, Kennedy and Rafino.
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.
On July 24, 2019, Kennedy, was admitted to the Lusignan Prison, among three fishermen who are jointly charged with the murder of a fellow fisherman, 20-year-old Alvin Seenarine called ‘Chockoloo’, of 820 ‘G’ Zeelugt North, East Bank Essequibo, who was killed on July 18, 2019 at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo.

Rafino 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.
Anyone with information on Rafino’s whereabouts is asked to contact the nearest police station or 225-6411. All information will be treated with the strictest confidentiality, according to police.

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