SOLOMON Blackman and Dyal Singh, who were both on remand awaiting trial for murder, were themselves murdered at the Camp Street, Georgetown Prison yesterday morning.
They were pronounced dead on arrival at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) after suffering multiple injuries about 03:48 h, in a fight that broke out in one of the cells.
Police said they fought each other. Investigations into their deaths revealed that Blackman, 40, of Mocha, East Bank Demerara and Singh, 49, of Supenaam, Essequibo Coast, were in the Capital Block of the penitentiary about 02:30 h when the former is alleged to have attacked the latter with a piece of wood and dealt him several lashes about his body.
As a consequence, Police said a number of other prisoners inflicted blows on Blackman, an ex-policeman who was mentally unstable.
Dead: Ex-cop Solomon Blackman
Blackman was a double murder accused after he went berserk at Brickdam Police Station, on March 1, 2004, disarmed a sentry at the gate and shot dead Deputy Superintendent of Police Richard Griffith and Lance Corporal Ramnarine Latchana. Corporal Clifton Nelson and two constables, Kester Cosbert and Royston Paddy were also injured in that attack.
Reports from the GPH said Blackman and Singh suffered serious injuries about their bodies, including broken limbs and wounds.