Prison officers, civilians on $750K each for Smallie escapee

Jun 23, 2023 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – The four prison officers and two civilians who have been charged for the escape of convicted mass murderer, Royden Williams called ‘Smallie’, were granted bail in the sum of $750,000 when they made another court appearance on Thursday at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.

Williams was eventually killed by members of the joint services during a manhunt in the interior. Alexander Hopkinson, Omar Whitherspoon, Conroy Hoshannah, and Oldfield Romulus are the prison officers attached to Mazaruni Prison from where Williams had escaped. Frangeliz Jugandry Flores Perez of Alexander Street, Kitty and a businessman, Rajmohan Autar called ‘Chico’ were also charged. It is alleged that on May 19, they conspired with each other and persons unknown to assist with the escape of Williams.

The defendants were arraigned before Magistrate Crystal Lambert at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court on their first appearance. They will return to court on July 26. Hopkinson was represented by Attorney-at-Law, Bernard Da Silva. Williams had escaped from the Mazaruni Prison at around 14:30hrs with the help of heavily armed men in a speedboat. According to the Prison Service, Williams was returning to the Sibley Hall prison on an ATV and was in shackles after receiving a visit from a female, when escorting ranks came under gunfire. It is alleged that the ranks dismounted their ATV and returned fire at the assailants.

It is further alleged by the Prison Service that one of the boat occupants came to shore and continued to discharge several rounds towards the prison officers. Williams, who was in foot chains, managed to run towards the riverbank and jumped into the river, the Prison Service claimed. The gunmen assisted him into the speedboat which headed upstream past Itaballi Landing, while prison guards and police undertook pursuit. No prison officer was injured during the ordeal.

In February 2017, Williams was sentenced to death when a jury found him guilty of eight counts of murder in relation to the 2008 Bartica massacre, in which a dozen persons, including three police officers were shot dead. Several months later, in July 2017, Williams escaped from the prison at Camp Street, Georgetown during a riot. It is believed that he was the mastermind. However, he was nabbed on October 9, 2017, at Weldaad, West Coast Berbice.