Leadership from one of Jamaica’s police divisions transferred after eight prisoners escape lock-up

Jamaica’s Police High Command has transferred the entire leadership of the St Elizabeth Police Division after eight prisoners escaped police lock-up on Monday.

The escape has raised concerns about the security measures of the police station lock-up.

According to Jamaican media reports, it was confirmed on Friday that the division commander and the support team of officers have been transferred from the division.

The escapees include a man charged with a quadruple murder. He is Anward "Kirkie" Hinds, and he has been charged in relation to the murders of four farmers — Archibald Brown, 60; his brother George Brown, 57; Maurice Sanderson, 40; and Ezra Wright, 73 in St Elizabeth in 2015.

Months later, he was found hiding in the ceiling of a house in Hatfield, Manchester, and was arrested.

The other prisoners who escaped on Monday are Oral Cole, 31, from Comfort Hall, Manchester; Richard Brown, 34, from Middle Quarters, St Elizabeth; Alrick Hutchinson, 38, from Brighton District, St Elizabeth; and Dean Simpson, 34, from Turner Top, St Elizabeth, who were all in custody charged with robbery with aggravation; Jevaughn Simms, 25, from Copperwood, St James; and Kenneth Stewart, 30, from Beacon Hill, St Catherine, were both being held for murder; and Demar Williams, 29, from Gravel Heights in Spanish Town, St Catherine, who is facing a shooting with intent charge.

Reports are that the men were discovered missing on Monday during routine checks conducted between 3 a.m. to 4 a.m.

Investigations revealed that the prisoners escaped through the facility’s ventilation system.