Inmate on death row believed to be mastermind of prison unrest

ESCAPED: Royden Williams, on death row for Bartica massacre, believed to be mastermind of prison unrest

SECURITY forces are hunting Mark Royden Williams, called ‘Durant’ and ‘Smallie’ as they believe he was the mastermind of the unrest at the Camp Street prison which led to a fire that destroyed most of the facility.

Williams is one of five persons who escaped. He was February this year sentenced to death for his part in the Bartica massacre of February 17, 2008. He was convicted on seven counts of murder and five counts of manslaughter.

Director of Prisons Gladwyn Samuels said that Williams sought his freedom and plotted with another prisoner to set the prison afire and then escaped.

The Camp Street prison had 1, 018 prisoners at the time when a fire was reported at around 16:45.

The Fire Chief Marlon Gentle said when the Fire Service arrived on scene there were four fires ongoing.

The Army has been deployed to the various locations where the prisoners have been moved.

One prison warden, Odinga Wickham, succumbed to gunshot wounds. He is the only fatality reported at this time. It is not clear how Mr Wickham was shot.

The main goals of the authorities are to recapture Williams and the other prisoners who escaped and to restore order.