- Murder accused walks out of courtroom and into minibus
By Michel Outridge
MURDER accused Jermaine ‘Skinny’ Charles, 19, of 133 Brutus Street, Agricola, Greater Georgetown, escaped from police custody yesterday, during his court appearance at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, East Coast Demerara.

Reports said that Charles was left in the courtroom unattended and calmly walked out of the building without being detected by ranks and joined a minibus.

By the time he was discovered missing during a routine check by ranks at Sparendaam, Charles had already made good his escape, reports said.

Upon discovering that the high profile prisoner was missing, police launched a frantic search for him without success up to press time.

The Police in a statement last night, said it is investigating the circumstances under which ‘Skinny’ escaped from the Sparendaam Police Station lockups yesterday.

Jermaine Charles who has been charged with the murder of the late Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh and his siblings, and security guard and with several other murders including the Kaieteur News staff, had been taken to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

Police said ‘Skinny’ had appeared before Magistrate Yohancie Cave in relation to the Satyadeow Sawh matter, after which he was placed in the station lockups for movement back to the Georgetown Prison.

“A check later revealed that he had escaped. It is believed that he escaped by removing part of the wooden section of the flooring of the lockups,” the Police said.

On August 17, 2006, three men, said to be part of the gang that shot dead five men at the Kaieteur News printery at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, appeared under tight security in the Georgetown Magistrate’s court before acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan.

Alleged ring leader Jermaine Charles, Dwight DaSilva and Quincy Evans, known as ‘Jimmy Dog’, were not required to plead to the indictable charges.

The first charge read to Charles, DaSilva and Evans said that between August 7 and 13, 2006, at the Kaieteur News printery, they murdered Mark Maikoo, Chitram ‘Boyo’ Persaud, Eon Wigman, Richard Stuart and Shazim Mohamed.

The three were also jointly charged with murdering Wordsworth Grey at Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara, on August 8, 2006.

Charles and DaSilva were separately charged with murdering Barbot Paul at Kaneville, Grove, East Bank Demerara, last August 6, 2006.

‘Skinny’ faced three other murder charges and an attempted murder charge.

Police said on January 23, 2006, at Agricola, he allegedly murdered Devon Charles.

On March 18, 2006, at McDoom, East Bank Demerara, he allegedly murdered Kevin Browne; and on the same day, at the same location, he attempted to murder Shaundell Browne, police said.

‘Skinny’ was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, to which he pleaded not guilty. The charge said that on August 11, 2006, he was found with a .32 millennium pistol, together with 29 live rounds of matching ammunition.

The Police yesterday appealed to anyone with information that may lead to the recapture of Jermaine Charles called “Skinny” to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-7625, 225-6940, 225-6941, 229-2701, 229-2702, 911 or the nearest police station.

The Police said all information will be treated with strict confidence.

The Guyana Police Force also reminded all members of the public and family members of ‘Skinny’ that it is an offence to harbour any person wanted by the police.

The Police Force also calls on all family members and civic minded persons not to shelter this fugitive from justice but to hand him over to the authorities as soon as possible.