Hunt on for eight escaped prisoners

PORT-OF-SPAIN (CMC):

A national security helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing yesterday as the mother of one of the eight prisoners who escaped custody on Tuesday night appealed to her son to surrender.

There were no reports of injuries to the pilot and it is not known whether there were other people on-board.

Up to late yesterday evening, law enforcement officials were continuing the search for the eight men, seven of whom are facing murder charges and are considered to be dangerous.

Prison Commissioner Gerard Wilson said the men escaped custody from the Remand Yard of the Golden Grove Prison on Tuesday night by cutting through the bars of the prison cell in which they were being held.

“It is a pretty small hole, so I guess they may have fasted during the period in order to make good their escape,” he said, adding “seven of them are charged for murder and one for attempted robbery and arms and ammunition.

“My concern at this time is for the safety and security of the citizens out there because, in my view, these persons are notorious. I know them and I know they can do harm. My concern is that we recapture them as soon as possible.”

MOTHER’S PLEA

Meanwhile, Anna Johnson, the mother of murder accused Brent Johnson, who is charged with murder, shooting with intent and the possession of firearm and ammunition, urged him to surrender, even as she said that she understood why he would have escaped lawful custody.

Speaking on a radio programme, Johnson said that her son had informed her that the situation at the prison was bad and that society needed to give young people hope.

“I am not saying that if you do something, you should go unpunished, but we are going about it the wrong way. We are creating more monsters than we can ever know.

“You can’t be in a 10x10 cell with eight people and smelling faeces all day and have a natural, normal mind,” she said.

Johnson said that judges and magistrates, who are meant to uphold the law, would never allow their children to endure that.