The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said he has every confidence law enforcement officials will address any potential security shortfalls following two recent escapes from custody.

His comment came after he was asked whether his ministry planned to tighten security measures following the escape of London Rahming on Friday.

The 25-year-old led police on a two-day hunt after his escape from the Magistrate’s Court on South Street where he was sentenced to 15 months behind bars for violating his bail conditions.

He was captured by authorities on Sunday.

The incident came less than a month after a Jamaican man escaped from the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Speaking on the recent escapes, Mr Munroe said, “I’m not aware of two escapes from police custody. I’m aware of those escapes from the remand centre at BDOCS and then I’m told, although I haven’t seen a report, that somebody escaped from the Magistrate’s Court Complex at South Street.

“I don’t have the facts on that, but the police and the correctional institution clearly re-evaluate security measures every time something happens. I remember when I was very young in the practice, downtown at Bank Lane, someone had thrown somebody a firearm, and he tried to shoot his way out of custody and so everything that happens ought to be a learning experience.

“Only the foolish repeat the same mistakes over and over again. I have great confidence that the police, the Correctional Services Department will be addressing any shortfalls that are highlighted.”

As for how the men escaped, Mr Munroe was still unable to say yesterday. He said he was still awaiting a report on both matters.

Asked yesterday when he is expected to receive those reports, the minister said this in relation to the BDCS incident: “I received indication of the default that would have caused it to be possible surrounding an event that was happening at the time, and steps were already taken to reinforce training. If you recall, there was training about a particular type of escape that the press thought was an actual escape, but those types of trainings continue in the institution.”