An inmate at the Port-of-Spain Prison had to undergo medical treatment yesterday after he was slashed by another inmate.
According to the Prison Service, a fight broke out between two inmates around 11 am.
One man received injuries to the back of his head.
The injured inmate was taken to the prison’s medical officer and later transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex by officers assigned to the high-risk management unit.
Sources told Guardian Media the inmates involved were alleged members of rival Muslim and Rasta City gangs.
The injured inmate was allegedly a member of the Muslim gang.
In a statement yesterday, the Prison Service “strongly” denied claims of a gang war inside the Port-of-Spain Prison and confirmed an investigation has been launched to determine what would have triggered the fight.
After the fight, the Prison Service said operations continued “without further incidence”.
Guardian Media visited the prison facility at around 2 pm and there was no unusual activity taking place.
There were also no additional police vehicles or police officers stationed around the facility.
Ag Prison Commissioner Dane Clarke said he expected a report of the incident on his desk by the end of today.
Yesterday’s incident occurred on the fourth anniversary of the Port-of-Spain prison jailbreak.
On July 23, 2015, Allan “Scanny” Martin, Hassan Atwell and Christopher “Monster” Selby shot their way out of the prison.
During the escape, police constable Sherman Maynard was shot and killed and prison officer Leon Rouse was shot and wounded.
Martin was shot dead in a guard booth at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital minutes later.
A day later, Atwell was murdered after hiding out in East Port-of-Spain.
Two days after, Selby surrendered to police at the Barataria Police Station and was charged with ten offences, including Maynard’s murder.