Inmate does disappearing act and then reappears in his cell block after police officers fail to locate him outside

Prison officials and the Police are investigating an incident in which an inmate escaped the confines of His Majesty’s Prison, but returned hours later as if nothing had happened.

Reports say that, on Wednesday, March 29, at about 2:40 a.m., the Police acted on a tip and conducted a search for 31-year-old Elijah John, who is currently serving a four-month sentence for possession of a firearm.

The lawmen were told that he had escaped from the prison.

A search was immediately carried out on the eastern side of the penal institution, where John’s 21-year-old girlfriend was found sitting in the front passenger seat of a white Toyota RAV 4, whose engine was running.

The woman, a resident of Martins Village, was taken from the vehicle and interviewed, and certain information was obtained.

While the officers were speaking to her, reports say, her phone rang, and she was instructed to tell John to give himself up.  The woman complied, but the man never responded.

The Police therefore continued searching the surrounding areas for John, but they were unsuccessful in locating him.

His girlfriend, meanwhile, was taken into custody at the St. John’s Police Station, and the vehicle was confiscated.

Reportedly, while driving on the Factory Road, and on reaching the by-road east of the St. John’s Fire Station, an officer noticed a figure, dressed in black, beneath the prison’s south tower.

The police corporal brought his vehicle to a stop, exited, and gave chase.  The person then jumped the western fence of the T.N. Kirnon School and disappeared into the yard.

According to reports, the person whom the officer was chasing appeared to be the missing inmate John.

Meanwhile, sources say that less than an hour later – at about 3:10 a.m. – the Police again received certain information and left for duty at His Majesty’s Prison.

A prison officer was then contacted and asked to check the cell where John was being housed, but he was not present.  

The Special Services Unit (SSU), the Criminal Investigations Department (C.I.D), and the St. John’s Police Station reportedly were notified of the development and officers immediately responded to the scene.

Despite a thorough search of the vicinity, John was not found. But a prison officer was instructed to relocate his three cell mates for reasons of safety.

However, while the guard was entering the gate to the prison’s “C” Division, John was observed standing in the bathroom, dressed in underwear and black socks, but no shirt.

Reportedly, he had bruises all over his body, including to the backs of both legs.

John was subsequently handed over to the Police pending further investigations.