Another inmate of the Camp Street prison took the stand on Thursday before the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), detailing the events which led to the deadly riot at the penitentiary on March 03, that claimed the lives of 17 prisoners.

Murder accused, Errol Kesney told the Commissioners that he has been in the remand section since May 17, 2015 and on March 02, 2016, there was a search at the prison which unearthed cell phones, cigarettes and marijuana. Later that night, he said there was a small protest.

He said  that the next morning  the inmates were told to pack their belongings to leave the Capital ‘A’ Division but he had no idea why they were being removed.

“Some of the guys start coming out 5 by 5… the first 5 out in the yard, they start beating them and we start run back and said dem beatin dem man…don’t go them gonna beat all ah we,” Kesney said.

He corroborated another inmate’s story that one of the prisoners, Collis Collison was beaten by prison officers.

“After the rest of guys run in back I hear a call say lock the door and a short officer in Khaki, called ‘Hulligan’ – he locked the door.”

According to Kesney, “after we run back and the door lock, I see some man breaking the hole for we come out. Me, Jermaine Otto and Marks jump over the hole and them man run over the door and said Mr Samuels deh with the gun.”

The Commission then asked: “Who is Mr Samuel?” In  response, Kesney said, “The overseer I know he as…He passed the order for the door lock back.”

Kesney admitted that the prisoners were attempting to get out the division when Samuels ordered that the door be locked.

He recalled seeing “black smoke” permeating the prison.

“After the black spoke, everybody start holler ‘we want come out, we want come out…open the door.’ Me skin start bunning and I run with me bag and I run at the back with my bag and two ex-soldier in there with we…Paddy said is gas stay low and take water and wet y’all jersey… the whole building was in black smoke.”

According to Kesney, he was rescued by another prisoner, who got him out the building. He too claims that no one attempted to extinguish the fire; however Kesney said he does not know who started the fire inside the prison.

“I see death; is God save me sir,” Kesney said.