The man, Harricharran Mahase, also called ‘Brevo’, forty-six of 105 Campbell Avenue, Campbellville, was found dead in his cell by prison officials yesterday morning.

According to hospital sources, the man’s body was taken to the institution at around 10 am with multiple lacerations to his body and his head.

A release from the Guyana Prison Service yesterday said that around 7.40 am during the unlocking exercise, the prison officers observed Mahase lying motionless in a cell occupied by two other inmates.

The prison’s medex was summoned and the prisoner was checked and he “appeared to be dead”. His two cellmates were isolated for questioning.

According to the release, the police were immediately informed about the death. Investigating ranks examined the area and together with the prison service are currently conducting further investigations of the circumstances surrounding the death.

The release said that Mahase was admitted to the prison on July 4 after he was unable to pay the $10,000 bail instituted by the magistrate for the charge of cruelty to animals.

When Stabroek News visited his Lot 105 Campbell Avenue address at around 1:30 pm the man’s relatives were still unaware of his demise although prison authorities had been aware since 7.40 am and were in possession of the family’s address since they had supplied it to the hospital.

The release from the prison said that after several efforts a senior prison official visited the deceased’s mother’s home and informed her of his death.

His relatives related to Stabroek News that he lived at that address and at another location on Sheriff Street. He resided at the second address by himself and some of his relatives were unaware that he was in prison. After being told of the man’s demise, the man’s younger brother, Komar Mahase, along with other relatives rushed to the hospital to identify his body.

The brother later identified his body at the hospital’s morgue and stated that he saw what appeared to be a cut on his brother’s face and dried blood.

The man’s uncle, Moti, related that a few days before his nephew was incarcerated he was beaten and chopped by another man in the area. He said that the matter was reported to the police but the man was not arrested. According to the uncle, his nephew went to the hospital for his wounds and he was given some tablets.

Numerous relatives and friends yesterday gathered at the man’s house as news of his death spread.

They described the man as a hard-working individual who was known to almost all in Campbellville.

This is the second death of a prisoner in recent months.

A prisoner at the Mazaruni jail died at the hands of another a month before he was scheduled to be released.