Simpson Bay:--- The Jamaican born convict Andrew Davis who was convicted to nine years imprisonment in the Vesuvius case was stabbed about five times early Sunday morning at the Simpson Bay outpost. According to reliable information reaching SMN News Sunday morning, Davis received about five stab wounds about his body around 4am. A source close to the convict said he was taken to the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) where he underwent surgery to save his life.
SMN News was also reliably informed that Davis was supposed to be heard as a witness in the appeal hearing which is supposed to take place sometime this month.
Chief Prosecutor Hans Mos confirmed on Sunday morning that Davis received multiple stabbed wounds and he is now a patient at the St. Maarten Medical Center. Mos did not say how many times Davis was stabbed and by whom. Mos said at this time it would not be wise for him to divulge more information in the ongoing investigation.
SMN News further learnt that an investigation has been launched to determine who stabbed Andrew Davis and the reasons. Detectives and other law enforcement officers were busy throughout the day on Sunday searching for the weapon that was used by the suspect or suspects who stabbed Andrew Davis.
Several efforts by SMN News to reach the Director of the Prison Facilities Edward Rohan proved futile on Sunday. While there is a major situation that involves the life of a prisoner, the new prison director cannot be reached. SMN News was confronted with the same situation when the Health Inspectorate conducted a control in the kitchen of the Pointe Blanche Prison Facilities. It appears as though Rohan can never be reached when there is a crisis at the house of detention.
Andrew Davis was represented by Attorney at Law Cor Merx during his trial. Merx could not be reached on Sunday for a comment on his client's condition. However, SMN News learnt that Davis was in stable condition after the operation and that he is heavily guarded at the St. Maarten Medical Center.
While it is known that prisoners fight among themselves, it can be considered outrageous that a prisoner who is locked up in a prison facility was stabbed multiple times and no one that was on duty supervising the prisoners at the time of the incident saw who was involved in the attack against Andrew Davis. Even though the Prison Management and its Director is responsible for the prisoners, the Prosecutor's Office also carries some of the responsibilities on the safety and security of the prisoners especially regarding their rights as a prisoner.
Minister of Justice Roland Duncan when contacted for a comment told SMN News that while the incident occurred at 4am Sunday morning and he arrived back on St. Maarten by 11:30am that same day, no one from the prison contacted him to inform him of the incident and the condition of the convict.
Duncan said that St. Maarten does not have enough cell space where he can keep prisoners separately. He said this is one of the reasons he is trying so hard to have the Justice Park which includes the BOX where more prison cells would be available.
Minister Duncan further explained that there are at least two gangs in the prison and the prison officers have to know the members of these two gangs to ensure they are kept separately.
