Vinood Gopaul (left) and Rickford La Fleur
called Rickford Williams

Joint security services patrols have so far come up empty handed during their hunt for the four “dangerous” prisoners who escaped from the New Amsterdam Prison early Saturday morning, a senior prison official told demwaves.com

Up to 10 AM Sunday, there were no sightings of the men whose 2:30 AM Saturday escape was not known until four hours later.

Security forces are banking on the help of the public in using the photos in the media to spot the fugitives and summon the police or prison authorities.

At least one of the escapees has strong ties to both Suriname and French Guiana.

Demwaves.com was told that teams of security personnel have already left Georgetown to reinforce the search-parties. The hunt is taking them to, among other places, the backlands of Canje.

Residents in New Amsterdam, Canje and their environs are said to be uneasy since word of the jail-break began spreading.

The ministry explained that around 2:30 AM the four prisoners cut the floor of cell number 2 of the number 1 landing before leaving the prison compound.

“Preliminary reports indicate that the men broke their way out of the prison by cutting the floor board and wending their way through the double floor and exited from the Northern Part of the prison. They subsequently scaled the prison fence and made good their escape,” said the ministry which has responsible for internal security.

The first Board of Inquiry into how the prisoners “breached security mechanisms at the facility  and made good their  escape” comprises Major General (retired) Norman Mc Lean MSS- former Chief of Staff – Chairman as well as former Director of Prisons, Cecil Kilkenny DSS and Prison Trade Instructor Mr. Sheik Asween.

The full details of the escapees and their alleged and convicted offences are:

(a)    Kevin Narine called “Long Hair”, 32 years of No. 7 Village, WCB, who was serving a sentence of 9 years for robbery under arms.

(b)   Vijay Seenarine, 33 years of Little India, Skeldon, Corentyne, who was remanded to prison on a charge of Carnal Knowledge.

(c)    Rickford La Fleur known as Rickford Williams, 35 years of Circle Street, Skeldon, and Vryheid’s Lust Squatting Area, ECD, who was
remanded to prison on two charges of murder and two charges of trafficking in narcotics.

(d)   Vinood Gopual, 19 years of 34 Yakasari, Black Bush Polder, Berbice, who was remanded to prison on a charge of murder.

Narine, who is the one with connections to Suriname and French Guiana, was less than one month ago convicted and sentenced to jail for the armed robbery charge committed on the captain and crew of a fishing vessel. 

Kevin ‘Long Hair’ Narine (left)
and Vijay Seenarine

The Home Affairs Ministry said another Board of Inquiry has been established to enquire into the circumstances in which Prison Officer Orlando Jaundoo has been charged for  illegally escorting convicted prisoner Krshna Doerga to Nickerie, Suriname on Saturday June 4, 2011.

The Board Members are Chairman Mr Seelaal Persaud DSM- Assistant Commissioner –Law Enforcement; Deputy Director of Prisons, Lt Col. Malcolm McAndrew, and r Roshan Khan- Member of National Commission on Law and Order (NCLO).

Jaundoo and Doerga were both apprehended by the police and placed in custody. Jaundoo was subsequently released in the custody of the Guyana Police Force and returned to Guyana. He made his first court appearance on Friday June 10 and was remanded to prison.
Prisoner, Krishna Doerga , who has dual citizenship ( Guyana and Suriname ) remains in custody of the Police in Suriname.