By Andrew Carmichael
Prison escapee and alleged murder, Rickford La Fleur, was on Monday remanded to prison by Magistrate Alex Moore on a murder charge.
The man had been on the run for the past six years after escaping from the New Amsterdam Prison. He was arrested by law enforcement authorities in neighbouring Suriname last week. On Monday he appeared in a New Amsterdam court charged with murder.
He and three others were accused of killing Sebastian Cleto on May 1, 2011, at the New Amsterdam Prison.
The accused was not required to plea to the indictable charge and was remanded until December 7.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Godfrey Playter told the court that La Fleur was previously charged with the murder along with three others. However, it was while the matter was receiving the attention of the court that he escaped from the New Amsterdam penitentiary.
Playter said the charges against two of the accused were subsequently dropped, and later Jason McKenzie pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.
With La Fleur now being available, the charge against him was reconstituted.
The 43-year-old wanted man was among four prisoners who escaped from the penitentiary on June 11, 2011. After being recaptured in the neighbouring country, he was handed over to local authorities and was escorted to Guyana last week. At the time of his escape, LaFleur was on remand for murder and possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.
Rickford La Fleur, called “Bragga” or “Rastaman”, hails from Vryheid’s Lust Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara, and Smithfield, Canje River.
He is accused of the murder of Cleveland Hetmyer, called “Water Dog” who was shot dead reportedly during a confrontation with the suspect and another man some 90 miles up the Canje River on November 4, 2010.
