0 Prisoners fake protests to cover for escape plans, 62 flee

There were riots in two prisons over the weekend which ended with the death of one inmate and the escape of 62 others. In Jambi, the Police Mobile Brigade Unit searched the area around the Kuala Tungkal Penitentiary on Monday, still hunting 41 prisoners who broke out of the facility following a riot on Saturday and remain at large. So far, 21 inmates who made a run for it on Saturday have been taken back into custody, National Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto said on Tuesday. 

“Twenty inmates have been caught and 19 of them are now back behind bars where they belong. Two more are in Indragiri Hilir police station in Riau,” he said during a press conference at National Police headquarters in Jakarta. A preliminary investigation by Jambi Police found the riot to have been sparked by protests against Government Regulation No. 99/2012, which introduces stricter new rules on remission. Article 34A of the regulation stipulates that drug offenders who are sentenced to less than five years are not eligible for remission. 

It is believed the protest and the ensuing riot at the Kuala Tungkal Penitentiary was a mere ruse, and that inmates were simply exploiting the issue as a pretext for their escape plan. Only 18 of the escaped convicts were serving sentences for drug convictions. After the prisoners had bolted, Jambi Police firmly slammed the stable door, stepping up security in and around the prison. At least 100 personnel have now been deployed in the area. Kuala Tungkal prison now holds 288 inmates, 10 of whom are women. 

Meanwhile in Cirebon, West Java, the police have launched an investigation into an apparently spontaneous, violent brawl inside Kesambi Penitentiary on Sunday. During the violence, one inmate, 29-year-old Frenki Hutubessy Bin Arie, was killed. Warden Teja Sukmana told Antara news wire that Frenki suffered a stab wound and died on the way to hospital. The National Police said that the fight was the result of power struggles between various groups in the prison. 

“The fight was sparked by a misunderstanding between a number of people who belong to different factions. According to our investigation, Frenki was caught in the crossfire and had nothing to do with the dispute,” Agus said. The Cirebon Police have questioned 10 inmates and now zeroing in on five individuals suspected of attacking Frenki.

source : the jakarta post