THE Guyana Prison Service (GPS) is searching for the relatives of Martinez Rajas, a 24-year-old Venezuelan prisoner, who died at the Timehri prison on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) on Christmas Eve.

In a notice published in the local newspapers on Sunday, the GPS said that Rajas’ last known addresses are Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini) and Estado-Guiana Lasalina in Venezuela.

And the GPS is urging the families or friends of Rajas to make urgent contact with the Director of Prisons on 225-6003 or 613-6616.

Rajas was incarcerated at the Timehri prison in April 2022 for the possession of stolen articles. On December 24, during a security check carried out at about 05:20hrs, Rajas was found dead in his cell.

A nurse on duty was summoned and subsequently confirmed that Rajas was unresponsive. Police escorted the body to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where the inmate was pronounced dead by a doctor on duty. An investigation was launched by the police and prison authorities.