By Kenicia Francis
The inmate who escaped from His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) late last month pleaded guilty to escaping lawful custody when he appeared in the St John’s Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Brodah Wanlovv, 39, escaped from the institution’s quarantine facility some time after 7pm on May 27, to potentially score hard drugs.
The day of his escape, a prison officer discovered that the eastern side of the holding area had been forcibly opened, and Wanlovv was nowhere to be found.
Superintendent of Prisons Lieutenant Colonel Trevor Pennyfeather told Observer that “we realised that the inmate was not in his cell. On closer inspection after 10 o’clock, we realised that [he had broken out of and damaged] the cell. Now, [he was in] the quarantine facility because he is a remanded inmate.”
He explained that after they searched the facility and were unable to locate him, they got in touch with the police and set up a joint task force to track his movements outside of the prison.
“Upon review of the footage of the tapes on the CCTV coverage we realised where he had scaled the wall after breaking out from the cell,” he said.
He explained that the cells and quarantine facilities are refitted containers where new prisoners who are low risk are initially housed.
This is to seemingly separate dangerous criminals from those who have only committed misdemeanors or people who have yet to be officially charged with a crime.
The estimated damage caused during Wanlovv’s escape amounted to nearly $2,000.
He apparently used an unknown instrument to damage the cell wall which was made from aluminum sheeting and rubber-like material.
He was apprehended in Fort Road around 3pm the following day.
Wanlovv was formally charged over the weekend for both his escape and the damage caused.
During the court proceedings, Wanlovv requested leniency, stating that he was not in the right state of mind and asked to be sent to rehab.
He will learn his punishment when he returns to court today.
