Update: Mazaruni Prison escapees, woman among three shot dead

Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 March 2021, 6:30 by Denis Chabrol

Two of four prisoners, who escaped from the Mazaruni Prison earlier this year, were Monday night shot dead in the Better Hope South backlands, East Coast Demerara, police said.

A so far unidentified woman was also killed.

They been identified as 25-year old Imran Ramsaywack and 22-year old Ryan Jones who escaped from the maximum security prison in February. Ramsaywack’s last known address had been given as Adelphi Village, East Canje Berbice and Jones’ 121 Timehri Road.

Police later Tuesday morning said that at about 8:40 PM Monday, they went to the Better Hope South backlands after being informed that the Mazaruni Prison escapees were hiding there. On arrival, at the bushy and swampy area they observed  three wooden shacks on the field with two partly constructed ones.

Police say as they began clearing the first shack no one was seen but as as the ranks were approaching the second shack, a voice was heard in the third shack and the ranks immediately called out indicating “Police.”

The Guyana Police Force, in a statement, said the men and woman, who were in a shack at a bushy and swampy field, were shot during an exchange of gunfire. “A male immediately emerged and discharged a round at the Police and then ran. The police ranks returned fire. Two males and a female were wounded and lay in the shack with gunshot injuries, whilst one male escaped,” police said.

Ramsawayck was convicted for the 2015 murder of Samantha Benjamin of Buxton, East Coast Demerara and Jones was sentenced to 28 years for the manslaughter of  Puranand “Andrew” Baljit, a mechanic during a robbery in June 2016.

So far, police have recovered a sawn off double barrel shotgun and searches were up to Tuesday morning ongoing, the officer said.

Ramsaywack,  Kenrick Lyte, Samuel Gouveia and Rayon Jones bolted from the Mazaruni Prison in February by sawing off  steel bars from one of the cells there.

After they had turned up at the home of Jones’ father and allegedly received a change of clothing and other types of support, they had not been seen or heard from.