by Linda Straker
- Joel Joseph arrested and charged with the offence of Harbouring a Fugitive
- Can be sentenced to a maximum of 5 years imprisonment
- Lyvon Date facing charge of Capital Murder
A man who was found in the company of a prisoner who escaped lawful custody, has been formally charged by police for Harbouring a Fugitive. If convicted, he can be sentenced to a maximum of 5 years imprisonment.
Joel Joseph, a 36-year-old Farmer from the eastern parish of St Andrew was arrested and charged with the offence of Harbouring. Joseph was found in the company of escaped prisoner Lyvon Date, during an operation conducted by members of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) and was taken into custody.
Joseph appeared at the Grenville Magistrate Court on Friday, 15 March 2024, and was remanded to His Majesty’s Prisons. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance on Friday, 5 April 2024.
The Criminal Code states, “Whoever, knowing or having reason to believe that any person has committed or has been convicted of any crime, aids, conceals or harbours the person, with the purpose of enabling him or her to avoid lawful arrest, or the execution of his or her sentence, shall, if the crime is punishable with death or with imprisonment for 10 years or upwards, be liable to imprisonment for 5 years, or shall, if the crime is a felony other than aforesaid, be liable to imprisonment for 2 years, or shall, if the crime is a misdemeanour, be liable to imprisonment for 6 months.
Date was on the run for 3 weeks and is facing a charge of Capital Murder. He escaped lawful custody while awaiting a scheduled hearing as part of the preliminary investigations. Police said Date escaped by pushing down an officer who escorted him to the washroom. In Grenada, Capital Murder is punishable by death.
Yet another prison escape? Yikes!