Convicts killed by home brew

JAKARTA: A senior official alleged yesterday wardens' negligence caused the death of three prisoners in the East Java town of Madiun Wednesday.

"But I can assure you that the wardens were not involved in the case itself," said Thahir Abdullah, Director General for Correctional Institutions.

Heru Siswanto, 32, Eko Wardoyo, 20, and Agung Sumarsono, 18, reportedly died after drinking liquor they had prepared from a mixture of spirits, mosquito repellent, fungus and antiflu pills.

Two other prisoners, Wahyudi, 19, and Thohir, 30, were treated in Madiun general hospital for being heavily intoxicated, Kompas reported.

Wahyudi and Thohir returned to their cells after feeling dizzy, while Heru, Eko, and Agung, continued drinking until they died.

Thahir admitted all but the spirits were legal in prisons. "We need to find out how they obtained the spirits," he said. (05)