Prisoners refuse to go to Sando Court

PRISONERS in the holding block of the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court yesteday caused a small disturbance when they started shouting and cursing. About six inmates were said to be the ones involved in the noisy display. During sitting of the courts, the remand prisoners’ shouts were heard but were not loud enough to casue a disturbance to the courts and justice was dispensed as usual. When the situation threatened to get out of hand, Court and Process police moved quickly and some 17 remand prisoners were quickly whisked away from the Courthouse around 12.30 pm in an Amalgamated Prisons’ vehicle.

According to reports, the shouting started after two prisoners refused to be taken to court to hear their pending matters. They were subsequently remanded in absentia and are due to appear there on Monday. A senior police source at the court said that though the problem was initiated by a small group, police moved in to ensure law and order were preserved. Just over one month ago, there was a riot at the same cell blocks with remand prisoners locking themselves into their cells with electrical wire and hurling abuses and human faeces at Court and Process police. That incident led to a “beefing-up” of the security in and around the court.