CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) — Police have launched a manhunt for a 27-year-old Jamaican man who had been arrested on a charge of murder, but escaped lawful custody during the early hours of Monday.

Police have identified the Jamaican as Orville Pernel, who they said escaped from the Babonneau Police Station, north-west of here.

“Pernel was charged on Thursday, October 8, 2020, for causing the death Cleus Alfred,” Superintendent of Crime Management, George Nicholas, told reporters.

Alfred, 27, was killed on August 25, in the northern town of Gros Islet. His body was found on the roadside in a pool of blood.

“He had a bail hearing on Friday where he was remanded until the 11th of November this year,” Nicolas said, adding: “anyone with information regarding Pernel’s whereabouts is asked to contact the nearest police station.

“As we speak, there is a manhunt in relation to the suspect and we are pursuing him. My information is that the suspect was in a cell with four other prisoners and he was able to saw the bars of the cell and made his way out of the cell,” Nicholas told reporters.

The police said that they were advising the public to avoid confronting Pernel, describing him as a “dangerous individual”.