Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson has ordered an immediate probe into the circumstances surrounding the escape of accused murderer Rudolph 'Boxer' Shaw from the Kingston Central police lock-up.
The Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau is leading the investigation.
The police say preliminary investigations have revealed that Mr. Shaw was discovered missing from his cell about 6:30 Thursday morning, during inspections.
It was discovered that an air vent leading to his cell had been cut.
The 30-year-old had been in police custody since July 27, after being nabbed in the Cayman Islands and deported to Jamaica.
Members of the public are being advised that Mr. Shaw is considered dangerous.
He was a person of interest in several shootings and murders across St. Catherine and was also listed as wanted in both divisions of the parish.
The police are urging persons to immediately notify them if Mr. Shaw is seen and to be mindful that it is an offence to harbour a criminal.
Attorney raises questions
King's Counsel Peter Champagnie has questioned security arrangements at the Kingston Central police lock-up after Mr. Shaw's escaped custody overnight.
Mr. Champagnie, who represented Mr. Shaw on Wednesday in the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court, said he thought adequate security measures would have been in place for his client, considering he had only recently been apprehended in Cayman and brought back to Jamaica.
Insisting his client's escape has come as "complete shock", the attorney added that he is looking forward to "intense investigation" into the matter.
Mr. Champagnie also suggested he would no longer represent Mr. Shaw, noting that he does not "countenance this kind of action on the part of any client" and his practice has always been to "advise that the person seeks alternative or different representation going forward".
The attorney said someone should be held accountable for the escape, as a repeat cannot be allowed to occur. He added that there is need for a review of the security measures at the lock-up.
Mr. Shaw is accused of murdering 59-year-old Wilfred 'Straight' O'Connor and Clinton 'Onie' Davis, 60, both of St. John's Road addresses in St. Catherine,
He was scheduled to reappear in court on November 17.
