Prisoners run amok in Mojokerto

ID Nugroho, Surabaya, East Java

Inmates of Mojokerto Penitentiary rioted on Thursday, pelting windows with stones after they learned that another inmate had been hit by a prison guard.

No fatalities were reported in the incident, but one convict was wounded and another was arrested for provoking the riot.

A prison official said the incident began early Wednesday morning when one inmate, Zakaria, claimed to have lost his cell phone. Zakaria then approached fellow inmate Roni in the exercise yard and accused him of stealing it.

Roni denied the accusation, and both inmates started to fight. Prison guards immediately separated them.

The next day prison guards became wary when Rofik, a friend of Roni's, approached Zakaria in the exercise yard and appeared to have something under his shirt, which the guards thought could be a concealed weapon.

Akadun, a guard, demanded Rofik surrender whatever he had in his possession, but he refused. Akadun then apparently hit Rofik, who immediately ran to friends who were in a hall in the penitentiary.

As a symbol of solidarity, Rofik's friends strode angrily toward Akadun and other guards, who turned and fled.

The group of prisoners began pelting windows with stones and other materials.

The other 200 or so inmates in the hall joined in the fray, and dozens of other inmates still in their cells began pulling at bars and shouting noisily.

The penitentiary houses 285 inmates.

The police were called in and restored order at 1 p.m., four hours after the riot began.

Mojokerto Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Yovi Anesmahar said the incident was being investigated.

"For a start, the cell phone story could not be true because no inmate is allowed to own a cell phone. Anyway, we will look into the case," he said.

Police are holding Rofik, who was wounded in the incident, and another convict who is suspected of being the provocateur.

"The situation in the penitentiary has returned to normal," said Yovi.

The country's last prison riot occurred four years ago in Cipinang Penitentiary in Jakarta, which resulted in the death of one inmate and injury to several others. The warden of the penitentiary, Andronicus Takasiliang, was replaced after the incident in March 2000.