Inmate killed by fellow prisoner in act of revenge

Inmate killed by fellow prisoner in act of revenge

JAKARTA (JP): A prisoner stabbed two other prisoners, one of
them to death, at the Salemba Penitentiary in Central Jakarta
reportedly in an act of revenge on Friday afternoon, the chief
warden said.

Warden Bambang Krisbanu identified the alleged attacker as
Ismayu Ramadhan and the victims as Yusuf, 20, who died on the
spot and Wawan Gunawan, 32, who was rushed to the emergency ward
of the Kramat Jati police hospital in East Jakarta.

"It was lunchtime. Prisoners of Block H at the penitentiary
were receiving their meals ... suddenly Ismayu, who is from
another block, entered Block H," Bambang told reporters on
Friday.

"He took out a knife he had reportedly crafted from the handle
of an aluminum pot, and plunged it into the chest of Yusuf. Yusuf
died instantly. He then stabbed Wawan, who immediately fell ..."

Yusuf, Bambang said, had been serving a one-year-and-eight
month jail term for robbery.

A fierce brawl ensued among prison inmates after the stabbing,
Bambang added.

He said that one of the armed wardens fired a shot in the air
to calm the men down. But it was not effective, which forced him
to contact Cempaka Putih police subprecinct and the Central
Jakarta Police Headquarters for help.

A total of 24 policemen arrived and conducted a weapons sweep
at the penitentiary.

Three homemade sharp weapons were confiscated.

"The stabbing could have been an act of revenge. Police said
they were checking all possibilities," Bambang said.

Central Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Mathius Salempang said
on Friday that he was questioning a number of witnesses over the
incident.

A police source said that Ismayu had hated Yusuf and Wawan,
because both were put in charge by wardens to lock the gates of
the wards in the penitentiary.

"The victims reportedly used to bang the gates and speak
roughly to the inmates. Ismayu hated them for it. So, he stabbed
them," a source at the Central Jakarta Police told The Jakarta
Post.

In March this year, Cipinang Penitentiary warden Andronicus
Takasiliang was removed from his post following a riot in the
prison.

One inmate was killed and several others were injured when
police stormed the prison to quell the riot on March 14.

Takasiliang, reassigned as the coordinator of penitentiaries
in North Sumatra, was replaced by Asep M. Firdaus, who has
previously served as warden at penitentiaries in Ambon, Bekasi in
West Java and Palembang in South Sumatra.

Cipinang Penitentiary guards, under the supervision of
Takasiliang, faced a lot of heat from the police this February
following the escape of a suspect in last September's Jakarta
Stock Exchange bombing, which left at least 10 people dead. (ylt)