14 questioned over jailbreak

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Fourteen wardens from the Gunung Sari Penitentiary here were brought in for police questioning on Monday following an overnight jailbreak in which 29 prisoners escaped after reportedly finding their cells unlocked.

"We're probing them on the incident as the inmates were able to flee without much trouble," Makassar Police chief Col. Aryanto Boedihardjo said on Monday, adding that a shoot-on-sight order had been ordered against the escapees.

This was the second jailbreak in the past seven months. About 100 inmates escaped in August after setting the prison on fire.

South Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Mudji Sutrisno said the incident was probably a result of negligence.

"Some of those wardens (being questioned) were also questioned about the August jailbreak, but they were acquitted at the time due to circumstantial evidence," a source said. (27/edt)