T&T Police Service Public Information Officer, ASP Sheridan Hill, says they will thoroughly investigate reports that a social media video, purporting to show the recapture of escaped prisoner Anthony Seepersad, was staged
The video began making its rounds on social media hours after Seepersad was reportedly held in Maraval on Wednesday.
Sepeersad was the last of five inmates to be recaptured by law enforcement following a jailbreak last Sunday at the Golden Grove Prison in Arouca.
Guardian Media was told by a source, however, that the video could have been staged.
“Something is wrong here. The vehicle that is used is a prison rental used by the infirmary department. How come the inmate is found hiding in a vehicle driven by a civilian that is rented by the prison? The guys at the back knew exactly where to look, in the trunk.”
The source added, “Did you see the officer who was guarding the driver ran away from him when they found the escapee? The whole thing is staged.”
Total Convenience Management (TCM) yesterday confirmed that the car featured in the video, which showed how Seepersad was recaptured, is one of the company’s vehicles which has been rented to a corporate client.
The company’s name came into question following claims that the car—from which Seepersad was taken out of the trunk—was attached to the Prison Service via a rental contract.
Speaking on Thursday at the TTPS news briefing, Hill said, “I can’t speak to the veracity of the information and persons, or members of the public are free to videotape officers in the line of their duty. With respect if it is staged or not, apart from the police acting on the information, what I will say is we will thoroughly investigate this matter, if persons are found to be in breach of the law they will be prosecuted.”
Hill said the police, together external partners—the Prison Service, Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB) and the TTDF — cooperated in the exercise that resulted in Seepersad’s arrest.
“What can I say at this time is that we acted on the information received and resulted in the recapture,” Hill said.
Also responding to the allegations, acting Prison Commissioner Deopersad Ramoutar told Guardian Media, “I know we rent vehicles from that company (TCM) and I can’t say off-hand whether the said vehicle is still procured by the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service, I will have to check with my Procurement Department for more information on that.”
He added, “What I can confirm to you is that the escapee Anthony Seepersad is in our custody and has been recovered. I prefer not to comment on that video that is circulating.”
The officers involved in the recapture have been commended.
Guardian Media yesterday made calls to the National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds and acting Police Commissioner Mc Donald Jacob but they went unanswered.
Seepersad, along with four other inmates, escaped from the Golden Grove Prison in Arouca on Sunday night.
The others were Kevin Jagdeo, 32, who was recaptured in the Trincity area shortly after their escape. Theon Thomas, 23, was held at about 4.30 pm on Monday at a house in Mt Dor.
Kurien Douglas, 25 and Shaquille Drayton, 30, were recaptured at about 7.45 pm and 8.20 pm respectively on Monday night in Dinsley and Tacarigua.
The other four recaptured prisoners appeared before an Arima magistrate on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to the charge of escaping lawful custody.
They appeared before Magistrate Brambhanan Dubay in the Arima Magistrates’ Court.
All four men were each sentenced to two years and eight months in addition to the time they are currently serving in prison.
The five prisoners escaped from the Golden Grove Prison at about 10.30 pm on Sunday, via a space they pried open through the galvanised roofing of a dormitory cell, which they then climbed through.
Prison officers heard a noise from the southern side of the dormitory and upon checking, saw that the BRC wire in the ceiling had been cut and the galvanised roof raised.