All necessary measures have been put in place to ensure Reeshie Surajbally, the man accused of kidnapping and sexual indecency with two girls, is not harmed in prison.
The assurance came from Prisons Commissioner Sterling Stewart yesterday, a day after Reeshie Surajbally was denied bail and remanded to prison.
Surajbally, 39, was jeered by a large crowd outside the court during his appearance on Thursday on six charges, including two counts each of kidnapping, serving alcohol to a minor and sexual indecency.
The charges arose out of an incident on Monday where police officers allegedly found two sisters, ages nine and 14, naked and intoxicated in a van at Cedar Hill Estate Road, Barrackpore.
He was denied bail by Princes Town Senior Magistrate Rajendra Rambachan for tracing to determine if he had a criminal record.
Fearing for his safety in prison, his attorney Yohan Pancham requested he be isolated from the rest of the prison population.
In a telephone interview, Stewart said Pancham’s request was not necessary as prison staff would determine the best place to ensure his safety and security. “We are mandated to do all that is necessary to keep all our inmates safe and secure in the best humane conditions possible while maintaining control.”
General secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association, Gerard Gordon, said: “History has shown inmates already on remand do not look lightly on offences such as these but I am certain that all that could be done will be done to secure the individual as is required by law so that he could be presented to court in good health. We remain a very professional organisation and we continue to try to do our best.”
At least two men claiming to be prisoners called a radio station programme on Thursday saying they were waiting for Surajbally at the prison.
Surajbally is expected to reappear in court next Wednesday.