A 23-year-old Princes Town murder accused, charged with escaping legal custody one week ago, told a magistrate yesterday that he paid police officers to facilitate his escape.

Wayne Johnson also pointed to a police constable in the Princes Town Magistrate’s Court and complained to Senior Magistrate Indrani Cedeno that the officer was part of the plot and had threatened to give him (Johnson) a false charge.

Prosecutor Sgt Zamsheed Mohammed told Cedeno that the officer, prior to Johnson’s alleged escape on August 4, made a report, which was allegedly documented in the diary of the Princes Town Police Station, that Johnson had threatened to harm the officer and his family.

Both reports were noted by Cedeno.

But the death threat claim was denied by Johnson who appeared without a lawyer but said his family intended to hire one.

Apart from the charge of escaping legal custody, Johnson is also charged with assaulting PC Richards in the execution of his duty. The charges were laid indictably and Johnson was not called upon to plead. He was remanded in custody and advised of his right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail.

The matter was adjourned to August 12-the same day Johnson is scheduled to appear on a charge of robbery.

It is alleged that Johnson and another prisoner were being escorted in handcuffs to the courthouse by two Court and Process Branch officers when the incident happened around 10 a.m. last Tuesday. Johnson is also charged with murder in the Siparia Magistrates Court,

The men were being walked from the police station to the front of the courthouse when Johnson allegedly pushed the officers and ran.

Johnson allegedly outran the officers. He was arrested in a car at Brothers Road near New Grant, Princes Town, last Thursday.