No leads yet on Carrera escape

BOTH police and prison officers remain mystified as to how Ian Allen could have possibly escaped from the Carerra Island Prison on Monday. “We are still investigating,” senior police sources told Newsday. “We do not know if he swam or got away by boat. When he is found, or our investigation ends we will know.” Prison sources told Newsday it was possible that Allen, who was not known to be a good swimmer might have drowned or got an epileptic fit and died somewhere on the island. Allen, 30, of Manahambre Road, Princes Town was discovered, missing during a random check at the prison. Allen, an epileptic, who was serving eight years for the “unlawful killing” of his grandfather with the drug Arthana, was due to be released in a few months.

When contacted, president of the Prison Officers Association Claudius Golston said while an escape from Carrera was not impossible he denied his officers were in any way to blame, although there is gross shortage of officers. “Yes, we want plenty more officers but security at Carrera and with the ocean around, it is tight. My officers were in no way negligent and until we get to the bottom of what happened, we cannot say anything.” Several former inmates at Carrera also confirmed that while escape from Carerra was difficult it is not impossible. They also mentioned that the waters around the island are shark-infested.

“The thing is prisoners are not stupid, they study the movement of the waters, the officers, boats which they can use to plan an escape,” the former inmates said. They also spoke about persons who had escaped and one who was never recaptured. Notable mention was Saywell Gordon, who was the first person to escape over 40 years ago after he killed a prison officer (father of hanged murderer Abdul Malik) on the island. He was recaptured a few days later in a house at Carenage. He was found guilty of the murder and hanged. Other names remembered are Siewdath Maraj, Michael Sholay and Vivian Pompey, who escaped by swimming to Carenage, where they were recaptured.