Drug suspect escapes women's penitentiary

Drug suspect escapes women's penitentiary

JAKARTA (JP): A woman arrested over drugs escaped Pondok Bambu
Women's Penitentiary on Tuesday afternoon, reportedly aided by
penitentiary wardens.

East Jakarta Police chief of detectives, Adj. Comr. Agus
Irianto, confirmed the escape on Tuesday evening, adding that he
had no idea exactly how the woman escaped.

"She had been arrested by Tanjung Duren Police over drugs, and
she was detained at Pondok Bambu Women's Penitentiary. Tanjung
Duren Police are currently handling the case," Agus told The
Jakarta Post.

Police sources identified the woman who escaped as Yenni
Herawati, 19.

"She had pretended to be sick and said that she needed to go
to the hospital... she is supposedly rich. She paid off the
wardens. They (wardens) opened the door for her, and she ran off.
That's all we can say," a police source said.

Tanjung Duren Police subprecinct chief Adj. Comr. Tahi
Silitonga also confirmed the escape, and said he was questioning
two wardens from the penitentiary.

"I am questioning two wardens. I cannot say any more,"
Silitonga said on Tuesday.

The chief Warden of Pondok Bambu Women's Penitentiary,
Supriyadi, was very upset when asked on the matter.

"Why are you disturbing me? I have had a very difficult day. I
will not confirm anything... if you want the story, come meet me
tomorrow at the penitentiary," Supriyadi told the Post over the
phone, before hanging up.

Another source added that penitentiary wardens were paid very
small salaries and, as a result, they do not worry about letting
suspects or convicts go.

"This is nothing. Ask any warden at Cipinang Penitentiary,
what goes on there with (corruption convict) Ricardo Gelael," the
source said.

"Almost every day, wardens fight over who gets to escort
Ricardo out of the penitentiary, to meet his family... each day
that convict spends over Rp 1 million every time he is escorted
out by the wardens," the source said.

Like his friend, fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra,
Ricardo was convicted by the Supreme Court last September and
sentenced to an 18-month prison term at Cipinang Penitentiary,
East Jakarta, over a land swap scam with the State Logistics
Agency in 1995. (ylt)