Five prison officers were injured during a retaliatory attack by prisoners at the remand section of the Golden Grove Prison, Arouca.During the attack, one officer was beaten severely, one stabbed in the forearm, another received a cut on the face, the others cuffed, kicked and another officer's teeth were broken. The injured officers were taken to the Eric Williams Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.
T&T Guardian was informed that an inmate attempted to take one of the officers hostage.However, he was able to evade capture and was taken to hospital.One officer, the T&T Guardian was told, begged for his life after he saw his colleagues being beaten. Prison sources said prisoners used makeshift weapons to attack the officers. Those include "shanks" made out of sharpened tooth brushes and metal objects.
A prison source said around 6 am yesterday while prison officers were trying to deliver breakfast to the inmates, the officers were ambushed.Prison authorities said the attack followed a search for contraband items on Tuesday night.A senior prison officer, who was not authorised to speak to the media, said prison guards searched the Remand Yard where they discovered makeshift weapons, cellphones and narcotics.
According to the officer, the inmates, in an attempt to defend their stash, attempted to assault the prison officers. In the fracas one prisoner was beaten.An inmate informed T&T Guardian that the riot followed an incident where the prisoners were soaked with water during the night, which prevented them from sleeping. One inmate, said a fellow prisoner, who is also an Imam, was badly beaten inside the prison.
After the initial riot, the prisoners barricaded themselves in a part of the Remand Yard. The officer said the prisoners even created shields to prevent the officers from storming their area. Before midday T&T Guardian was informed senior prison officers were trying to negotiate with the prisoners to end the riot.
A statement from Commissioner of Prisons Sterling Stewart yesterday stated: "A few inmates attempted to obstruct officers from carrying out a search."The situation is now under control and a quantity of improvised weapons, cellular phones and other contraband items were found and confiscated."
Prison officials suspended the visiting hours for all male inmates. People who claimed to have been waiting since 3 am to see their relatives were forced to return home.Around midday the riot ended. Reports state a number of inmates also were injured during the riot. The officer informed T&T Guardian 15 inmates were responsible for the riot.The prison officers remain alert in case any further unrest may occur.