No State protection for taxi driver allegedly kidnapped, released by prison escapees

The taxi driver who was allegedly abducted by prison escapes on Sunday (July 09, 2017), will be a state witness but he will not be offered any form of protection.

This was disclosed by Officials on Thursday (July 13, 2017) at a Press Conference at the Ministry of Public Security.

After being held captive by four of the six escapees following the Camp Street Jailbreak, Matthew Shivtahal who was interviewed by the police and subsequently media operatives will be getting no protection from the state.

Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud said: “from our perspective, there is no threat to him so therefore there is no security that has been provided.”

Shivtahal, after he was released, spoke with media operatives and detailed his encounter. The Commissioner of Police said that the police force also believes the story which the taxi driver provided them with.

“The taxi driver is being treated by the police as a witness, and there are certain things that happen during interviews, during his interview, there is no cause for concern. The second thing is, unless he would have visited the backlands before, he would not have been lying because he was pretty accurate with the geography,” Persaud added.

The taxi driver said he was forcibly taken by the men and made to walk with them through the backlands.

Shivtahal said he was released hours after, and instructed him to make his way back home. He claims that having told the men of his one-year-old son, his life was spared.

By Leroy Smith