Escaped prisoner shot in Siparia

ONE of the two prisoners who escaped police custody Tuesday morning while being led out of the Siparia Magistrates’ Court was shot by police during a police dragnet to recapture him yesterday. The shooting occurred near the prisoner’s home at Coora Branch Road, Siparia. The prisoner was shot in the leg, a police report stated, when he attacked police officers with a cutlass. He was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where he was warded under police guard yesterday. Both prisoners had appeared before Magistrate Rae Roopchan on charges of obscene language and trespassing on a junior secondary school compound.

They managed to free themselves from the grip of a policeman who was escorting them to the neighbouring police station after the magistrate remanded them in custody. One of them was held. A police dragnet was set up for the other and, according to a police report, PCs Joseph and Noel of the Siparia Police Task Force spotted the prisoner in some bushes near his home at Coora Road at 8 pm Tuesday. The report stated that the officers gave chase and cornered the prisoner, but the prisoner whipped out a small cutlass and charged at the policemen. The report stated that a struggle ensued during which the prisoner was shot. Police said the prisoner would be charged with escaping legal custody and assault. Snr Supt Felix Nimrod, Supt Jemmot and ASP Christopher visited the scene of the shooting.