STAFREI Hopkinson Alexander also known as “Mad Dawg” knew Topoo well and used to stay at a house there, residents of the village, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

The Guyana Chronicle on Sunday visited the quiet community of Topoo, nestled between Hampshire and Albion in East Berbice, Corentyne and practically everyone was talking about the capture of the prison escapee.

Alexander was captured while exiting the canefields. It was reported that he would sleep in a white, one-storey wooden house in an unfenced yard, along R & S Street in Hampshire.

From information gathered, the home belonged to someone who had migrated and was occupied by persons known to have had brushes with the law.

One such person is Shannon Batson, who is presently on remand for murder and robbery of businessman, Danian Jagdeo.

It was reported that Batson and Alexander are friends and he would stop by from time to time when Batson lived there.  Batson’s wife and child have since moved
out of the house.

Residents explained that Alexander was first seen on Thursday in the
company of another person in a pasture under a tree around 10:00 hrs.

Police have been in the area since then, but managed to apprehend the wanted man only on Saturday night around 20:00hrs.

From information gathered, Alexander was rotating between the cane-
fields which is aback the village, a short distance away and two
houses: one where he would usually sleep and the other that is abandoned.

“We hear he does  come from the canefields and go to the other white
house at the back that nobody don’t live deh; and sometimes by the
other one in front whey he normally does deh night time.”

The area where he was found is sparsely populated and covered with thick vegetation.

One resident is of the view that since the altercation on July 18 at Port Mourant, Alexander has been in the area.

“From Follow-Up [an area in Port Mourant] you can come straight to this
area, all you gah do is follow the canefield and them dam and you
reach hay easy, me think since then he deh hide in the canefield and
by he know them people at the house them help him.”

Four persons were detained earlier in the day Alexander was re-captured. It was
disclosed by a source close to the investigation that the persons had
been providing sustenance for the wanted man as well as helping him
with his injury.

Police have since confirmed that Alexander was treated for an injury
to his left foot at a hospital in Berbice and was subsequently taken
by police to Georgetown. The four persons are still in custody
assisting with investigations.

Residents are calling on the police to do regular patrols at Topoo.