[UPDATED] PRISON BREAK – 2 held, 3 still on the run

Less than a day after five men escaped the dormitories of the Golden Grove Prison, Arouca, two were recaptured and face additional charges of escaping lawful custody.

Police said the inmates – Kurien Douglas, 26, Theon Thomas, 23, Anthony Seepersad, 28, Shaquille Drayton, 30, and 32-year-old Jagdeo – got out of their dormitories at around 10.30 pm and escaped from the facility.

Jagdeo was arrested on Trincity Boulevard near the Dinsley Government School shortly after the escape. Thomas was held at around 4 pm on Monday at Sixth Avenue Extension Mt D'Or Road, Champs Fleurs. He was recaptured with assistance from the Financial Investigations Unit, the Defence Force, the North Central Division Task Force and other units.

Up to late on Monday evening the remaining three prisoners remained on the run.

Contacted for comment on Monday, acting Prisons Commissioner Deopersad Ramoutar said initial investigations showed the men broke through the roof of the dormitories. He said a review of current security arrangements would be done in order to prevent another jailbreak.

"The inmates breached the roof of the dormitory and this gives us something to think about in what we can do to strengthen the integrity of the existing roof structure.

"Like everything else in the country, finances are at its lowest and later today I'll be having a meeting with my executive to find ways of improving the security integrity of the dormitories.

"What is totally under my command is officers' performance while on duty and that is one of my focuses moving forward as newly appointed acting commissioner."

Ramoutar said the escape was unfortunate, but he was pleased with the response of the police and citizens which led to the arrest of one of the escapees not too long after the incident.

He added that while investigations into the escape are continuing, thus far, there was no information to suggest prison officers on duty were negligent.

"The (prison) officers gave a good account of the overnight activities. The enquiry is ongoing but there hasn't been anything pointing to negligence so far."

Newsday understands the men were expected to be released next year and were brought to the prison from the Carrera island prison to begin a course of study in auto body straightening, painting and repairs in order to improve their job prospects on release.

Contacted for comment, president of the Prison Officers' Association Ceron Richards said  the situation was unfortunate and could have been avoided. He described the prison dormitories as derelict.

He said despite repeated calls from the association to have these dormitories refurbished, no remedial work had been done.

"I can't help but think about all the years we've asked for those dormitories to be broken down and refurbished and once you have inmates housed in these kinds of facilities they will be thinking of how old and aged the buildings are.

"Once you are trying to maintain security in an institution it is critical to keep infrastructure updated. Once that is done the whole notion of wanting to escape will be deterred. When these things are lacking it's easy to see why escapes are possible," Richards said.

Contacted for comment, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said he was pleased with the response of the authorities, noting that the remaining escapees  had been spotted, and was optimistic the police would recapture them.

Responding to Richards' suggestions to review the structure of the dormitories and security measures at the prison, Hinds said while the investigation was still under way a preliminary report was completed and will be reviewed on what areas would be strengthened.

"I would have received an interim report from the administration that is to say the acting Commissioner of Prisons. I am going to be guided by that and when, of course, the final report on the issues would have come to hand together, we, National Security and the prison service, will look at it and see if and where there were any shortcomings or any weaknesses in the system that will have to be addressed in order to prevent future occurences.

"For the time being, all the side talk and the sideshows are of no interest to me. My primary concern now is the recapture of the men. That is under way and I give you the assurance that a full investigation will be carried out, is being carried out and the results of that should show if and where there are any weaknesses must be addressed to prevent further occurrences."

On July 24 2015 a prison break from the Port of Spain Remand facility ended with the death of policeman Sherman Maynard.

Escapee Allan "Scanny" Martin was gunned down in a security booth at the Port of Spain General Hospital and another escapee, Hassan Atwell, was shot dead days later in east Port of Spain.

In 2021 former prisons commissioner Dennis Pulchan told Newsday he had been appointed lead prison investigator into the escape, and submitted his report to the Prison Service Commission on October 2, 2015.

Three prison officers were suspended and allegations of misconduct investigated by a disciplinary committee. The allegations were dismissed and the officers reinstated more than three years later.

On May 15, 2019, eight men  –Stefon Austin, Joshua Janet, Mikhale Mohammed, Brent Johnson, Atiba Sealy, Kerry Valentino, Olatunji Denboy and Michael Findley – escaped from the Golden Grove prison.

Six were recaptured within two days of their escape and the remaining two arrested later that month.

This story was originally published with the title "Second escapee recaptured" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

POLICE in the North Central Division have confirmed that a second escapee has been captured.

Police confirmed that Theon Thomas, 23, was held earlier on Monday afternoon.

Thomas was among five men who escaped from dormitories at the Golden Grove prison, Arouca, on Sunday night.

Another escapee Kevin Jagdeo, 32, was arrested at the Dinsely Government school, Trincity, shortly after the escape that night.

Police, prison officers and members of the defence force are currently searching several areas in Northern Trinidad for the other inmates – Anthony Seepersad, Kurien Douglas and Shaquille Drayton – who remained at large up to press time.