Police hunt seven jailbreakers in Medan city
Police hunt seven jailbreakers in Medan city
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra
Police here said on Tuesday they were searching for seven
detainees who broke out of their holding cell in the North
Sumatra capital of Medan.
The detainees, who were facing counterfeiting, robbery, theft,
drugs and sexual harassment charges, managed to make good their
escape on Monday after cutting through rusty bars on a window in
a bathroom with a hacksaw, the police said.
They added that the suspects used sarongs tied to the bars to
climb down the wall.
North Sumatra police detectives' chief Sr. Comr. Satria Hari
Prasetya blamed the jailbreak on the negligence of the officers
who were guarding the police detention center.
At least four officers and a number of other detainees were
being questioned in connection with the case, he said.
Satria believed that the jailbreak was well planned and
involved the assistance of outsiders.
It was impossible that the seven detainees could have obtained
the hacksaw without help of accomplices, he said.
"We suspect the hacksaw was smuggled into them by visitors,"
he added.
Although Satria said he often ordered his subordinates to
strictly search visitors to the Medan Police lockup, the
directive was often ignored.
The seven who escaped were among 25 detainees awaiting trial.
The other 18 detainees opted to stay put.
The seven were identified only by their initials as AN, 37,
M, 36, MS, 33, MI, 24, AA, 21, MS, 22, and RL, 24.
Satria said the escape only came to light on Monday morning
after a change of guard in D Block.
He said the hunt for the seven escapees involved all district
police stations across North Sumatra, but could not say whether
the jailbreakers might have already left the province.
"We hope they surrender to us soon. If they are caught, they
will face more charges," he added.
Legal activists in North Sumatra commented that the latest
jailbreak showed the poor work of the police in guarding
detainees.
"This proves once again how unprofessional the police are,"
Medan Legal Aid Institute (LBH) director Irham Buana Nasution
told The Jakarta Post.
He questioned how people could be expected to trust the police
to provide security when they could not even secure their own
detention center.
"It is a challenge for the National Police to become more
professional in ensuring security in our country," Irham added.
Jailbreaks are commonplace in Indonesia, with negligence or
collusion on the part of warders usually being involved.
In September, 52 prisoners broke out of an overcrowded jail on
the industrial island of Batam, Riau province.
The 52 inmates -- all convicted on drugs charges -- escaped
after sawing through the iron bars of their cells and attacking
guards.
The escapees were serving sentences of between one and eight
years. Two of the escaped prisoners were awaiting trial on
charges of possessing 230 kilograms of marijuana.
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra
Police here said on Tuesday they were searching for seven
detainees who broke out of their holding cell in the North
Sumatra capital of Medan.
The detainees, who were facing counterfeiting, robbery, theft,
drugs and sexual harassment charges, managed to make good their
escape on Monday after cutting through rusty bars on a window in
a bathroom with a hacksaw, the police said.
They added that the suspects used sarongs tied to the bars to
climb down the wall.
North Sumatra police detectives' chief Sr. Comr. Satria Hari
Prasetya blamed the jailbreak on the negligence of the officers
who were guarding the police detention center.
At least four officers and a number of other detainees were
being questioned in connection with the case, he said.
Satria believed that the jailbreak was well planned and
involved the assistance of outsiders.
It was impossible that the seven detainees could have obtained
the hacksaw without help of accomplices, he said.
"We suspect the hacksaw was smuggled into them by visitors,"
he added.
Although Satria said he often ordered his subordinates to
strictly search visitors to the Medan Police lockup, the
directive was often ignored.
The seven who escaped were among 25 detainees awaiting trial.
The other 18 detainees opted to stay put.
The seven were identified only by their initials as AN, 37,
M, 36, MS, 33, MI, 24, AA, 21, MS, 22, and RL, 24.
Satria said the escape only came to light on Monday morning
after a change of guard in D Block.
He said the hunt for the seven escapees involved all district
police stations across North Sumatra, but could not say whether
the jailbreakers might have already left the province.
"We hope they surrender to us soon. If they are caught, they
will face more charges," he added.
Legal activists in North Sumatra commented that the latest
jailbreak showed the poor work of the police in guarding
detainees.
"This proves once again how unprofessional the police are,"
Medan Legal Aid Institute (LBH) director Irham Buana Nasution
told The Jakarta Post.
He questioned how people could be expected to trust the police
to provide security when they could not even secure their own
detention center.
"It is a challenge for the National Police to become more
professional in ensuring security in our country," Irham added.
Jailbreaks are commonplace in Indonesia, with negligence or
collusion on the part of warders usually being involved.
In September, 52 prisoners broke out of an overcrowded jail on
the industrial island of Batam, Riau province.
The 52 inmates -- all convicted on drugs charges -- escaped
after sawing through the iron bars of their cells and attacking
guards.
The escapees were serving sentences of between one and eight
years. Two of the escaped prisoners were awaiting trial on
charges of possessing 230 kilograms of marijuana.