Just about three years after murder suspect Paul Goriah escaped from the Lusignan Holding Area, East Coast Demerara (ECD), he was recaptured in neighbouring Suriname a week ago.
Prison escapee Paul Goriah
The Korps Politie Suriname in a Facebook post said that Goriah, along with two other men, who are believed to be Guyanese, were nabbed between June 4 and June 5 in Nickerie after they attempted to rob a family.
The other two men were identified as Krisshaun D, 21, and Gordon L, 54.
Reports stated that Goriah initially identified himself as Kevin Smith. However, when his photograph was sent to local Police, he was identified as the wanted prison escapee.
In a short interview with Guyana Times, Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels said he confirmed the identify of Goriah based on a photograph that was sent to local authorities by the Korps Politie Suriname.
He added that he was unaware when Goriah would be extradited to Guyana, since that would be determined by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
However, this publication understands that local authorities are currently working with officials from Suriname to have him handed over to officials here.
The wanted man had escaped while prisoners were being transported to the Lusignan Prisons after the July 7, 2017 fire at the Georgetown Prisons.
Goriah’s last known address was given as Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara.
During the fire at the Camp Street Prisons, Lusignan mass killer Mark Royden Williams, ex-cop and double murder accused Uree Varswyk, murder accused Stafrei Alexander and murder accused Desmond James all escaped from the Camp Street penitentiary. One prison officer died and several others were injured during that fire.
Varswyk was killed in a shootout with Police in Linden while Williams, Alexander, and James were all recaptured.
However, Goriah and three other men had been charged and remanded to prison for the murder of remigrant agriculturist Anthony Breedy, who was found dead in his Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara home in March 2016.
It was reported that the men escaped from the swampy pasture of the Lusignan Prison by digging a hole about five feet wide and another five feet deep under the perimeter fence.
While there are three layers of security at the penitentiary, the men were able to escape presumably during a downpour that occurred in the wee hours on the day of their escape.
