Police detain two more in prison inmate's escape

BOGOR (JP): Two people have been arrested for allegedly abetting in the escape of an inmate of Bogor Prison, bringing the number of suspects to four, a police chief said Saturday.

The escapee was a defendant in the Oct. 11 Jagorawi toll road robbery and murder.

The arrests bring the number of suspects in the escape to four.

Bogor Police Chief Col. Dadang Garnida said the four suspects were the defendant's sister Enik Setiowati alias Lulu, 33, friend R. Mardiyanto, 32, and two Bogor Prosecutor's Office employees, Deny Juliandi and R. Priyatna.

"Mardiyanto was arrested on July 7 while Lulu was arrested on July 12. Both suspects were arrested in Jember, East Java," Dadang said.

Juliandi and Priyatna were detained on June 28, a day after Mikel, alias Erling Doli Wijaya, escaped from custody, he said.

Bogor jail employee Munandar who was believed to be involved in the escapee has not been detained, Dadang said, because of the lack of evidence.

He said the arrest of Lulu and Mardiyanto came about when police officers assigned to hunt down the defendant found Mikel on July 18, on Jl. Ciliwung, in Surabaya, East Java. Mikel, however, managed to flee.

Mikel had accompanied Margareta, said to be his wife, to a local doctor's office. Margareta recently had an appendectomy.

Bogor Police Detective Chief Capt. Achmad Juri, who led the search, said Mikel seemed to know he was being watched.

"Police fired a shot and hit the car Mikel was in when it stopped on the street. But the bullet only hit the right-hand window," Achmad said.

He said Mikel then tried to run down officer Tatang Ruswandi, who fired a shot and managed to jump aside and avoid the car.

But Tatang had fired his pistol accidentally, shooting himself in the left leg, Ahmad said.

Dadang said yesterday it was believed Mikel was still with Margareta, who still needed follow-up medical treatment after her operation.

"We appeal to Mikel to surrender, given Margareta's condition," he said.

Police confiscated a Suzuki sedan, a Kijang van and a Suzuki jeep which Dadang said were used by the escapee, but he added that police had no idea what transportation means Mikel might be using now.

Bogor prosecutor demanded Monday that Mikel be tried in absentia at the Bogor District Court, saying he would demand a 20-year prison term for his alleged involvement the tollway robbery and murder. (24/jun)