– with aiding escape of two prisoners from Providence station
EX-POLICE Corporal Diana Chichester yesterday appeared before Magistrate Priya Beharry charged with aiding the escape of two prisoners who were incarcerated while investigations into the Health Ministry’s fire were ongoing.

Chichester, 44, who lives in the Ruimveldt Police Station compound, in Georgetown, was not required to plead initially but Police Inspector Denise Griffith, prosecuting, requested that it be dealt with summarily.

Chichester then pleaded not guilty to the charge which said, on July 27, at Providence Police Station, having lawful custody of Colin Jones called Bunny and Kurt Thierens called ‘Bage’, she negligently allowed them to escape from lawful custody.

Griffith told the court that Chichester was a Corporal in the Guyana Police Force and was on duty the night that the two men escaped, sometime around 03:15 h.

The Prosecutor said that two locks secured the men and that there were no signs of breakage.

Attorney-at-law Mr. Patrice Henry represented the mother of one and told the court that, because she was dismissed from the GPF, she will now be residing at Lot 46 Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara.

Henry said Chichester was a member of the GPF for the past 23 years up until last Friday.

He claimed that his client was the only officer present at the station when the incident occurred and that she was required to inspect the compound periodically.

According to Henry, two of the three persons made good their escape while Chichester went to conduct checks.

He said this raises serious concerns about the administration of the GPF because he could not understand how only one female officer was stationed there.

Henry also said that Chichester poses no flight risk and that she has been in police custody since last Monday.

He mentioned, too, that Chichester was dismissed unlawfully and without any benefits and sighted the fact that the Police Commissioner did not dismiss the officer who was present at Sparendaam when Jermaine ‘Skinny’ Charles escaped.

“That officer was not charged or dismissed and she is still a serving member of the GPF,” he pointed out.

The Prosecutor however rejoined that each case has to be determined on its own set of facts and noted that it is Henry’s business if he has personal issues with the Commissioner.

Griffith informed the court that the prisoners could not have easily accessed the locks and, since Chichester was aware that she had high profile criminals under her supervision, more caution should have been exercised.

She also said Chichester gave the investigating officers different stories about where she was at the time when the prisoners escaped.

Griffith also dismissed Henry’s claim that Chichester was the only officer present at the station, naming two others who were lending support to the defendant.

The Prosecutor said she was not objecting to Henry’s bail application but requested that bail be granted in a substantial amount.

Magistrate Beharry set the bail at $400,000 for Chichester but Henry asked her to consider that she works for a meager salary and that she is a single parent.

Magistrate Beharry then reduced the sum to $300,000 and ordered her to return at Providence court, where the case has been transferred, on October 21.

Jones and Thierens were arrested and kept at Providence station in connection with the Ministry’s fire which flattened parts of the building.

Police, in a Bulletin, had described Jones as 20-years-old, born October 31, 1988, of Lot 3 West La Penitence, Georgetown. He is thin built, of African descent, 5 feet 6 inches in height with black hair.

Police gave his father’s name as Colin Jones, mother’s name as Allison Simpson, brother’s name as Jaffar Simpson and his sister’s name as Jennifer Jones, all of the same address as the escapee, with the exception of the father.

Thierens is said to be 31-years-old, born July 17, 1978, of Lot 102 Middle Walk, Buxton; Lot 7 National Avenue, Triumph, also on the East Coast of Demerara; and Lot 219 Residential Area, Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

According to the Police, Thierens is of African descent, with black hair, brown eyes, slim built and is 5 feet 6 inches in height.

His mother’s name is given as Daphne Garner, father’s name as Oswald Thierens and his wife’s name is given as Cheryl Thierens.

Police is asking anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Colin Jones and or Kurt Thierens to contact them on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-2700, 226-2917, 225-8196, 227-2128, 225-6941 to 3, 911 or the nearest police station.