Grenada Police criticized for allowing 3 prisoners to escape

Grenada’s authorities have faced backlash due to the recent escape of three prisoners which has raised concerns about the security of incarceration facilities in the nation. In response to this, Grenada’s authorities have clarified that arrangements have been made at the South St George Police station, which is where the three-prisoner escaped from.

The authorities have argued that if proper procedures are followed, such incidents would not occur.

Don McKenzie, the Commissioner of Police, said that he visited the cell immediately after the prisoners escaped to assess the situation.

He stated the following, “I am satisfied that if proper procedures were followed that we should not have an escape. The arrangements in that location has sufficient safety to prevent an incident like that occurring.”

Ron Mitchell (30), a Sailor of Paradise, St Andrew; Tevon Robertson (19), an unemployed resident of Paradise, St Andrew and Abita Stanislaus (25), a farmer who also hails from Paradise St Andrew, managed to escape from police custody from their holding cells at the South St George Police Station.

The escapees were recaptured days later from St Vincent and the entire incident has brought a lot of negative attention to the Grenada Police.

According to Commissioner McKenzie, upon learning of their escape, he called an executive meeting immediately and mobilized officer who took every step necessary to facilitate the capture of the 3 criminals.

Questions have also been raised as to why the three men were kept in a holding cell when they could have been sent to His Majesty’s Prison. Assistant Commissioner of Police Vannie Curwen. The authorities have said that they do not have the ability to transfer prisoners directly to the prison itself.

It has been clarified by the authorities that in accordance with the due process, prisoners are kept in holding cells after being charges so that they can be presented before a Magistrate who decides where the individual will be placed on bail or remanded.

The prisoners were kept in one such holding cell, which was their transit point between the police and the court. They were meant to be taken tot court 2-3 days after they were brought to the South St George Police Station, which is the norm in such cases.

While ACP Curwen could not give a definitive answer when asked how long the prisoners were supposed to remain in the holding cell, he did day that the norm is to take prisoners to court promptly in most such cases.

ACP Curwen also stated the following, “They escaped custody on Sunday, so I would assume they were arrested over the weekend and would have been taken to court on Monday morning”

Since an investigation has been initiated to get to the bottom of how the three men managed to escape, reports from all the officers involved in the incident are expected.

While the internal mechanisms of the RGPF continues to assess the problem, a senior investigator has been directed to go through the evidence thoroughly and provide the authorities with a more comprehensive analysis of the deficiencies in the holding facilities, if any.

He is also looking into who, if anyone, is responsible for the lapse which allowed 3 prisoners to escape and make their way to St Vincent.

If required, people will be held accountable and reprimanded, while the necessary changes are made to the incarceration apparatus to ensure that such an incident does not occur again.

The conclusion of the investigation will give the RGPF an understanding of the situation and delineate how they are supposed to proceed.