Bartica boat captain remanded to prison for helping escapees

Ralph Jones- the 60-year-old Bartica boat captain, who helped his son and three other convicted criminals furthered their escape from the Mazaruni Prison – has been remanded.

The man, who resides at Lot 114 Fourth Avenue, Bartica, appeared before Magistrate Crystal Lambert on Monday at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrates’ Court, where Bartica, and extension Region Seven court cases are being temporarily heard.

Jones was charged with four counts of harbouring wanted criminals. However, he was not required to plea, and was therefore remanded to prison until March 5, 2021.

Ralph Jones of escapee Rayon Jones. It was during a police interrogation last week, that the Senior Jones admitted that he provided his son and the other escapees – Imran Ramsaywack, Kenrick Lyte and Samuel Gouveia – with clothes.

“He disclosed that after his son escaped from the Mazaruni Prison [on Tuesday, February 16] he contacted him by telephone sometime after 21:00 hours and informed of his actions. Ralph Jones further admitted that sometime after 01:00 hours the following day, all four of the escapees showed up at his house where he provided each of them with a change of clothing,” the police had detailed in a statement.

It is alleged that the man in turn collected the clothes that the prisoners were wearing and dumped them in an alleyway aback his house in Fourth Avenue Bartica.

Last Thursday, police ranks went to the identified location and found a white ‘salt’ bag that contained the following items: clothing, footwear, deodorant, topes, pillow and pillow-cases, along with a bottle of Red Star rub, a toothbrush and a food bowl.

Imran Ramsaywack and Kenrick Lyte are convicted murderers while Samuel Gouveia and Ryan Jones are in prison for manslaughter. Jones, in particular is on a 28 years sentence.

The Joint Services is continuing the search for the escapees and encourages all lawabiding citizens to report to the nearest police station or call 455-2238, 455-2222, 455- 2241, 226-4585, 225-2700, 225-3650 or 911 should they be seen. All information will be treated with strict confidence.