Action being taken to strengthen prison security – Benn

In the aftermath of several prisoners, including at least one notorious criminal, escaping from penitentiaries across the country, the Guyana Government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, has taken steps to fortify prison security in order to prevent further breaches.
The May 2023 escape of convicted killer Royden Williams, known as ‘Smallie,’ from the Mazaruni Prison in Region Seven exposed vulnerabilities within the prison system and raised questions about the effectiveness of current security measures.

Williams, who had been a high-profile prisoner under a death sentence, was shot and killed shortly after his escape. He had been serving time for multiple serious offences, including two massacres in Guyana. He had managed to escape from the Mazaruni prison facility on May 17th with the help of some prison officials.
According to reports, the escape had occurred in broad daylight and involved the use of a speedboat. During the escape, the escort party accompanying Williams was attacked with AK-47 rifles by the individuals on the boat, which was in the Mazaruni River.
Following the escape, a reward of $10 million was announced by the Guyana Police Force for any information leading to Williams’s arrest. Days after the escape, six persons, four of whom were Prison Officers, were charged and remanded to prison for aiding the escape of the death row inmate.
The Prison Officers charged are Alexander Hopkinson, 58, of Bartica Housing Scheme, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); Oldfield Romulus, 50, of Victoria Street, Cumberland Village, East Canje, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); Conroy Hosannah, 35, of East Canje, Berbice; and Omar Witherspoon, 26, of Stanleytown, New Amsterdam Berbice. They have been charged along with Rajmohan Autor, called “Chico,” a 48-year-old businessman of Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE); and Venezuelan national Frangeliz Jugandry Flores Perez, 28, of Kitty, Georgetown.
Following their arrests, Williams was found and shot dead by Police. His escape highlighted weaknesses in the prison security apparatus.
The incident led to a thorough investigation, leading to the identification of the individuals charged in connection with Williams’s escape.
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, speaking on the issue on Friday, emphasized the Government’s commitment to enhancing prison security.
“A review has been conducted within the prison system concerning where individuals are to be kept, their interactions with the public, and the maintenance of SOPs and discipline. We cannot relax within the system,” the Minister said. “We have to be constantly vigilant, especially with certain individuals in the prison system…I am somewhat relieved that the episode with Royden Williams was appropriately dealt with, and we have learned from this experience.”
In response to the incident, the Prison Service announced a series of measures to curb the smuggling of contraband into prison facilities. Tightening security protocols, increasing surveillance, and deploying advanced detection technologies are among the strategies being implemented to prevent the infiltration of illegal items into prisons. These efforts are part of a broader initiative to create a more secure environment within the prison walls.
“People are finding more innovative ways to smuggle things into prisons…and it has been a longstanding issue with items being thrown over fences. We are discovering more and more of it, even in relation to weapons and other contraband. However, these incidents have significantly reduced,” Minister Benn said.
The most recent incident of contraband being smuggled into the prison occurred a few days ago when a 21-year-old woman from C Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown was apprehended at Camp Street Prison while attempting to smuggle cannabis hidden in a sneaker.
The woman was visiting an inmate named Akeem Edwards. Prison authorities discovered the illicit substance, suspected to be cannabis, concealed under the sole of the sneaker inside a black plastic bag she was carrying. The woman was arrested, cautioned, and taken into Police custody along with the seized narcotics. (G9)