‘I ran for my life’ – prisoner

Prisoner Roger Rommell Stephen Sealy who escaped from authorities while at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital says he fled in fear for his life.

“The only reason I find myself in that situation is because I was in fear of another person,” Sealy told Magistrate Manila Renee today after the charge was read to him in the No. 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court at Cane Garden, St Thomas.

The 37-year-old, of Scotts Gap, Britton’s Hill, St Michael is charged with being a prisoner in custody of Dodds Prison did escape lawful custody without the use of force on January 18.

He is not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Before the magistrate however, the accused claimed that he had been  told by an inspector of police that he could get the matter “disposed of” at the Magistrates’ Court level.

“I ain’t flee to escape. I flee to safeguard my life,” he said, adding that he was in fear of being shot.

He added: I was back in custody in a matter of hours.”

But he was told that under the section of Common Law Offences pertaining to matters such as his was strictly indictable and could only be dealt with at the High Court level.

It was at that point that he requested that the case against him be expedited “so I can plead guilty at the High Court”.

Following those statements, Sealy was sent back to the St Philip penal facility to reappear before the court on February 22.