3 prison officers suspended n Jailbreak probe continues

August 05, 2015 in Regional

Police Officers-1Three prison officers were suspended yesterday as the investigation into the July 24 jailbreak from the Port of Spain prison continues.

The officers are an assistant superintendent and two junior officers, president of the Prison Officers Association, Ceron Richard, confirmed yesterday.

He also called on Prisons Commissioner Sterling Stewart to make a statement on the entire prison escape issue, adding that his silence was loud.

He chided previous media reports which stated one of the officers being investigated was a Muslim, saying this had the potential, whether true or not, to create bias. He said the officer could be the subject of an unfair investigation.

The escapees were Christopher “Monster” Selby, Hassan Atwell and Vindra Naipaul-Coolman murder accused Allan “Scanny” Martin.

The trio were able to obtain firearms and a grenade and shot their way out of the prison.

PC Sherman Maynard, who was on patrol with another officer outside the prison, was shot dead in the surprise attack.

Scanny was shot dead during an exchange of gunfire with police officers at the Port of Spain General Hospital shortly after the escape.

The freedom of two other prisoners—Atwell and Selby—was short-lived.

Atwell was found dead by police officers shortly after midnight on Sunday, July 26 in Laventille while Selby surrendered to police later that day.

Police have said they did not kill Atwell and fingers are being pointed at the Rasta City gang.

Selby is charged with his murder and nine other offences arising out of the jailbreak.

Selby remanded to MSP

Also confirmed yesterday was the fact that murder accused Selby was remanded to the Maximum Security Prison in Golden Grove, Arouca, following his court appearance on Monday.

The police investigation into the escape continues and according to Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams, who spoke to reporters on Monday, more officers have since been added to the investigative team in a bid to hasten the enquiry.

Richard told reporters on Monday that he and the rest of the POA are all for an investigation but they want this enquiry to be done as fair as possible.