Police have managed to recapture 11 of the 12 teens who escaped from the Juvenile Holding Centre at Sophia, Greater Georgetown on Tuesday.
Juvenile Holding Centre at Sophia, Greater Georgetown
Five of the 11 were recaptured on Wednesday while the other six were recaptured on Thursday by Police.
The remaining teen – a 17-year-old who is on a murder charge – is still on the run. His last known address is Leopold and Cross Streets, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown.
Guyana Times understands that the escape occurred at approximately 23:30h on May 5.
Reports are the teens, who were housed in cell two and who have matters ranging from armed robbery to rape and murder, broke out of their cells and attacked the security personnel who were guarding the entrance of the building. Two unarmed Policemen were injured during the escape. The teens relieved them of the keys to some of the other cells after which the juveniles sprinted from the facility.
An alarm was raised and a search was conducted in nearby communities, where five of the teens were recaptured and taken back to the facility.
Meanwhile, security has been reinforced at the Holding Centre, and a full investigation has been launched.
In recent times, several teens escaped from the Sophia Holding Centre, but were recaptured.
Juveniles between the ages of 14 and 17 are held at the facility once they are charged with a criminal offence. After they have reached the age of 18, they are transferred to the formal prison system.
The Juvenile Holding Centre at Sophia was commissioned in 2011 as a detention facility for juveniles, separate from the adult prisons.
