Police sought to raise the stakes as an intensive manhunt for one of the most notorious fugitives continued, offering a $10,000 reward for information that could lead to Corey Hepburn being recaptured.
More than a week after the armed robber tasted freedom once again, police maintained that even their counterparts in the Family Island districts are on high alert and police partners overseas had been contacted.
Local search efforts for the man who escaped the confines of the beleaguered Her Majesty’s Prison in a violent and deadly prison break last Tuesday have proven fruitless.
But it’s not for lack of trying, authorities said.
Police Inspector Walter Evans insisted that the intelligence that has been gathered suggests that Hepburn is still on the island, but the Police Force has pursued other avenues nonetheless.
“The search level has already increased outside of The Bahamas,” he said. “We have contacted the agencies elsewhere within the nearby jurisdictions in the Caribbean and the United States and information concerning the description of the individual has been sent to those agencies.”
He also remained convinced of one thing: that Hepburn is most likely being aided.
“We still believe that he is being harboured by individuals. We believe that individuals are feeding him and he is being sheltered, so again we need Mr. Corey Hepburn to be in our possession,” Inspector Evans said.
Law enforcement officers are using every practical means at their disposal to close the dragnet on Hepburn, who has escaped lawful custody twice before and attempted to do so while incarcerated at Her Majesty’s Prison.
His image was plastered in posters that were circulated around the country and aired on television, police vigilance was increased and officers remained on a sustained search around the island
Her Majesty’s Prison has been cited repeatedly by human rights advocates for chronic overcrowding and degrading conditions under which inmates are being kept.
Outside the gates of the compound, wreaths were placed as a grim reminder of last week’s violent episode which claimed the life of Corporal Dion Bowles.
Bowles’ mother Olivia Bowles said his funeral and burial was scheduled for Thursday at the Church of God auditorium on Joe Farrington Road at 11 a.m..
Bowles was shot to death during the melee last week.
The escape occurred around 4 o’clock in the morning on Tuesday and involved four prisoners.
During the escape, 38-year-old prison officer Corporal Dion Bowles was killed.
Officials reported at a press conference held hours after the prison break that Corporal Bowles, a prison officer of 13 years, died from multiple stab wounds to the upper body.
Also killed during the escape was Neil Brown, who was convicted of the 2000 murder of Archdeacon William Thompson.
Inmates Forrestor Bowe, 29, a convicted murderer whose case is now before the Privy Council in London; and convicted rapist Barry Parcoi, 42, who is serving a life sentence and escaped from prison last year, were also injured during the incident.
Bowe, who was shot, and Parcoi were treated for their injuries and were returned to the prison compound Tuesday morning.
Prison officers Kenneth Sweeting and David Armbrister were injured during the escape but their injuries are not considered life threatening.
The prison officers who lived to tell the tale said they are more alert, but with heavy and measured movements they completed their tasks.
Many of them who spoke to the Journal but declined to be identified said morale is understandably low. One of them disclosed that they are more alert, less trusting but still have unanswered questions.
“It’s obvious that someone assisted in bringing in that blade to the prison and so you have to be on your guard about more than the prisoners,” said an 11 year veteran.
“Right now, we don’t have the proper riot gear, no shank vests. These are the things that the government needs to invest in, so that has me perplexed right now.”
The prison lockdown that was ordered in the aftermath of the breakout has been lifted; court appearances are being kept, work groups are slowly being reactivated and certain visits are being allowed.
The matter is far from over. There has to be a coroner’s inquest into the double deaths, the prison leadership is making changes and an inquiry is expected to provide the answers to lingering questions.
By: Tameka Lundy, The Bahama Journal
