Police in Trinidad and Tobago have recaptured 35-year old businesswoman, Vicky Boodram, who escaped from the women’s section of the Golden Grove Prison on Monday evening while awaiting trial on more than 100 fraud charges.
A brief police statement said that Boodram had been found at a house in Penal, to the south of the capital – Port of Spain on late Thursday. A 32-year-old female occupant of the house was also detained and faces charges of harboring a fugitive.
Seen at a fast-food restaurant
Police said residents claimed Boodram was seen earlier during the day eating at a doubles stand. She had been recognized by a member of the public and alerted the police.
There has been much speculation as to how Booram had been able to walk out of the prison in the company of two police officers late on Monday night.
Media reports Friday said that an unidentified man who reportedly fell in love with Boodram is said to have assisted in her plot to escape from the prison.
One newspaper said that the man had frequently visited her at prison and as their relationship grew, he ‘allegedly could not stand to see his love incarcerated and began to devise a plan for her to escape”.
Earlier this week, the Acting Commissioner of Police, Stephen Williams ordered an investigation which is currently underway into the circumstances surrounding Boodram’s release.
Two police officers who took at least 10 minutes to remove Boodram from the prison are assisting the police in their investigations.
Arrested on 175 fraud charges
Boodram had been on remand since March 2016 after being denied bail on 175 fraud related charges. She is facing the fraud charges linked to failed cruise ship packages offered by the company, Travel and Ship Ahoy Cruise Limited. She is a director of the company.
Her estranged husband, Ravi Arjoonsingh, was also charged with collecting millions of dollars from 109 people through fraudulent means and transferring the money to himself and the company in 2010.
In addition to the fraud charges, Boodram is also facing two charges of money laundering after she allegedly purchased a TT$629,000 E-Class Mercedes-Benz and a two million dollar house using forged documents.
