Alleged fraudster Vicky Boodram’s plan to escape prison seems to have been well orchestrated, as she was being helped by a former prison-mate among many others.
However, Jennifer Atwater, the mother of the 32-year-old woman at whose Penal home Boodram took refuge, said yesterday her daughter was not harbouring a fugitive. In fact, Atwater said her daughter probably did not know the woman staying in her house was, since she was doing a favour for her elder sister.
She said Boodram and her elder daughter became friends while both were inmates at the Women’s Prison at Golden Grove, Arouca. Atwater said Boodram only came into their community on Thursday to spend the night, as someone was expected to pick her up.
Sources said Boodram was expected to be taken to an illegal point of exit in Cedros where she would have been smuggled to South America.
Atwater said her younger daughter worked at a nearby bar as a lotto booth vendor. Contrary to a police report, she said her younger daughter was returning home when she was snatched by police.
Police said at 6.40 pm on Thursday, officers of the Organised Crime and Intelligence Unit and the South Western Division went to the woman’s workplace and told her they had information she was harbouring a prisoner. The woman then led the officers to her Sunset Drive, Latchoos Road home where Boodram was found seated on a chair in an upstairs apartment.
Yesterday, Atwater said her younger daughter was innocent and if she had known it was Boodram staying in her home she would have called the police earlier. She said her younger daughter does not engage in criminal activities.
“It was just that my (elder) daughter asked for her (Boodram) to just stick around until this person came for her. She (younger daughter) never saw her (Boodram) before you know,” Atwater said.
“I don’t know if my daughter knew it was Vicky. Maybe she did not even know it was Vicky. The other one knows her good.”
Boodram was being questioned at the Barataria Police Station last evening, while Atwater’s daughter was at the Belmont Police Station.
Boodram, 35, is the former owner of Boodram Travel Tours and Ship Ahoy Cruises Ltd at Dumfries Road, La Romaine, which she operated along with her estranged husband Ravi Arjoonsingh. Between 2012 and 2016, Boodram and Arjoonsingh were charged with 175 and 109 counts of fraud respectively. It was alleged they took $1.5 million from people through fraudulent means and transferred the money to accounts belonging to Boodram, Arjoonsingh and the business. Some offences were in relation to accepting bookings for a cruise that never happened. Boodram has been on remand since 2016.
Around 5.15 pm Monday, she was taken from the prison by two police officers attached to the Tunapuna Police Station. The officers, a male and a female, presented documents that were purported to be a court order. They left in a marked police vehicle.
The male officer returned to the station where he dropped off his colleague and left with Boodram. The female officer was questioned by officers of the Professional Standards Bureau. On the next day, the male officer was arrested at his Arima home. He had reportedly told his colleagues he had no idea he was assisting Boodram to escape, but under interrogation confessed to brainstorming the plan to allow Boodram to escape because he was in love with her.
Police were also still seeking a third suspect believed to have been involved in the escape plot.
It was reported that Boodram was seen eating at a restaurant along the SS Erin Road, Penal, on Thursday evening. However, when the T&T Guardian visited the restaurant yesterday, staff said they were unaware as they were not on duty when Boodram was alleged to have been there.
PSB YET TO QUESTION BOODRAM
Fraud accused Vicky Boodram remained at the Barataria Police Station last night, but had not been questioned by officers of the Professional Standards Bureau as they continued their investigation into how she escaped from the Women’s Prison Monday afternoon.
After being recaptured on Thursday night, Boodram was taken to the Penal Police Station before being transferred to Barataria.
Sources said Boodram was left alone yesterday and not questioned by officers of the station except when she had to be fed. She was, however, visited by her attorney.
The woman in whose Penal home she was found also remained detained at the Belmont Police Station last night.