His Majesty’s Prison in Balsam Ghut.

A UK-appointed prison security expert has arrived in the Virgin Islands to lead an independent investigation into the escape of inmates Jose Almestica and John Burgos from His Majesty’s Prison on October 25.

Acting Governor David D Archer Jr said the Governor commissioned the external investigation earlier this month after the two prisoners went missing from the Balsam Ghut facility. He recalled that “on 4 November, Governor Pruce announced that he had commissioned a full, independent external investigation into the circumstances that led to the escape of Jose Almestica and John Burgos from His Majesty’s Prison on 25 October.”

Archer said the UK Ministry of Justice has now appointed a specialist to conduct the review. “I can now confirm that the UK’s Ministry of Justice has identified an expert in prison security and risk management to undertake the investigation,” he stated.

The Acting Governor said the UK-appointed specialist is already on the ground and working.

“The expert has arrived in the Virgin Islands and has begun his investigation,” Archer explained.

The review is expected to move quickly. “The investigation, which is expected to take about two weeks to complete, will be thorough and impartial and will ensure that we identify what went wrong and take the necessary steps to strengthen security,” he stated.

BVI authorities have not yet set out the detailed terms for the investigation or when its findings will be published. Police have also not released further information on how the inmates escaped from the prison facility, which houses convicted offenders and remanded prisoners.

Almestica previously escaped from the prison during Hurricane Irma in September 2017 and remained at large until his recapture in December 2021. Burgos had been serving time on drug-related offences before the breakout.

Archer said the investigation’s purpose is to establish the facts around the recent escape and to support steps to improve åthe security of the prison system.