Five police officers were up to late yesterday under probe after three prisoners escaped from the holding bay of the Chaguanas Police Station on Saturday. Senior officers said yesterday that the five, who have been served with notices, face suspension and other disciplinary charges. One of the suspects was recaptured hours after the escape but the others remained at large up to late yesterday.

This latest escape adds to the long list of suspects and other accused people who have escaped legal custody while at the holding bay or cell block areas of police stations and several magistrates’ court. Investigating officers said the escape was captured on a surveillance camera at the cell block. The prisoners—ages 23, 21 and 24, of San Fernando, Cunupia and Chaguanas, respectively—were discovered missing from the holding bay around 5.30 pm.

However, hours after the breakout, one of the suspects was held by officers of the Central Division in Chaguanas. He was identified as the man who broke two locks on a back door, just before the escape. That suspect is expected to appear before a magistrate in the Chaguanas court today, charged with escaping legal custody and malicious damage to police property. The detainees were among several suspects who were brought to the station for questioning in connection with armed robberies and larceny within the Central Division.

Head of the South/Central Division, ACP Shah Mohammed confirmed yesterday that notices were served on the officers who had been on duty at the time of the escape. In a brief telephone interview yesterday, Mohammed said a full-scale investigation had begun to determine if criminal or disciplinary charges should be laid against any of the officers in connection with the incident. “Notices have been served already on those responsible and further investigations are taking place now to ascertain whether any other subsequent charges would be made against those who worked that day,” Mohammed said.

He noted, however, that the people who were arrested in connection with outstanding inquires were suspects and had not been charged with any offence, hence the reason they were placed in the holding bay other than a cell. Mohammed said the suspect who had been charged, broke off a piece of steel from a bar and used it to break two locks. “We have since taken the appropriate action to render the area much safer and to ensure there is no such reoccurrence,” he said. The senior cop warned that breaches of duty would not be tolerated and would be dealt with in a severe manner.

Flashback

Last month, Wayne Johnson, 25, told a magistrate in the Princes Town court that he bribed officers at the nearby police station in order to escape while being escorted to the cell block at the station. On May 6, 2007, Nicholas Griffith surrendered to officers at the Siparia Police Station after he allegedly escape custody on April 23. He said he was fed up of eating yam while hiding out in the forest. Griffith had managed to escape from the clutches of police officers while at the Siparia Magistrates’ Court.

He was charged with chopping 66-year-old pensioner Vera Smith and damaging her property. Between 2007 and 2009, there were more than six incidents of prisoners escaping custody while being escorted from the Siparia court to the nearby police station. Similar incidents occurred in the Princes Town court and at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex over the years.