Even as investigations are continuing into how a 26-year-old prisoner walked out of the Central Police Station in Port-of-Spain on Monday moments before he was due to appear in court, head of the Police Service Social and Welfare Association, Insp Anand Ramesar, is calling for a probe into the incident and a review of holding cells across the country.
According to police reports, Peter Solomon had been charged with being a gang member and with possession of a bulletproof vest on Monday, having been arrested last Thursday by members of the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit.
But when officers went to check on the man to prepare him for court he was nowhere to be found.
Officers initially gave differing reports on Solomon’s escape, including that he was granted bail at the police station, located on St Vincent Street.
But gang-related offences are non-bailable and Solomon was not entitled to bail for at least four months once charged, even if it was his first offence.
Another version is that he slithered his way through the steel bars and walked out of the station while lawmen simply ignored him because of his calm demeanour as he fled.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, head of the Port-of-Spain Division, Snr Supt Johnny Abraham, said the investigations were still ongoing and there had been no update.
He said, however, that the escapee was still on the loose and all was being done to re-arrest him and uncover what took place during his escape.
In an interview on i95FM yesterday, Ramesar called on the acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and the National Security Ministry to investigate the escape and to review the holding cells at police stations and determine whether they were adequate to house prisoners.
“This needs to be properly investigated and we are calling on the (acting) Commissioner of Police (Stephen Williams) to launch an investigation and for the Ministry of National Security to look at what is happening with the prisoners and determine whether or not the prison cells in the station are adequate,” Ramesar said.
“The association and its membership are particularly concerned about this particular state of affairs. Clearly there has been some breach of security...The Police Service Act is very clear that a police officer should not be negligent in handling prisoners.”