A PRISONER on Thursday last survived a brutal attack when two inmates of the Camp Street Jail attacked him in his sleep shortly after he was involved in an argument with them.The Chronicle was told that the inmates who attacked the man used an improvised weapon fashioned from components of one of the steel beds inside the prison and which measured several inches long, while his associate used a shorter instrument, also made from bed materials.
The injured prisoner who was identified as Tambico McKenzie is on remand for a robbery offence.
When asked by prison officials about the incident, the man informed them that he was attacked by two men and that he was not very sure who the person was that attacked him, but had some idea of who it may have been, a prison source told this newspaper.
In photographs which have since surfaced showing the attack, two men with instruments were seen attacking McKenzie. One of the men covered his face with a jersey leaving room for only his eyes, while the other wore a tope but his face was not masked.
The photos were reportedly taken by another prisoner who did same with the use of a Blackberry mobile phone.
One prison source who spoke with this newspaper said the incident has once again underscored the concerns of prison officials. It was noted however, that while the use of cellphones is prohibited, prisoners usually are able to get hold of the item through several means, even while on “lockdown.”
Inserting phones in anuses, packets being thrown over the prison fence and employees of the prison smuggling them in and offering them to prisoners are but some of the ways prisoners are able to get their hands on cellphones and other prohibited items, this newspaper was told.
Other sections of the media had reported that relatives of the injured man were very upset that prison officials had failed to pass instructions for the injured man to be taken for medical attention, and reportedly have expressed fear for his safety during his continued stay in the facility.
The Guyana Prison Service has medical personnel in its employ and they would usually administer medical attention to inmates, depending on the severity of their injuries and if it is warranted, the inmates are usually taken to the hospital for advanced medical attention.
The Chronicle has been informed that the persons whom McKenzie told prison officials he suspected of attacking him has since been removed from the same holding division as the now injured man.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing and based on what was told to this newspaper, it was only on Monday that another search of the facility was conducted and the officers there recovered a number of mobile phones. However what was pointed out was that in those cases, when the phones are found they are usually locked, thus preventing the officers from gaining any information that may be of evidential value.
By Leroy Smith