S'porean escapes from Bali jail

DENPASAR, Bali: Bali Police chief Brig. Gen. I Wayan Ardjana blamed two police officers on Tuesday for the escape of a detained Singaporean national from the Denpasar District Court holding cells.

"How could they (the police officers) allow the detainee to leave the cells and let him walk around without being watched. These officers are really stupid," Ardjana said as quoted by Antara.

The detainee was named as Erlin Anthony Richard, 39, who was waiting on Monday to be brought before the court where he was being tried on charges relating to a series of alleged swindles perpetrated in the Kuta area.

Richard reportedly asked permission from First Pvt. DWY and First Pvt. KAN, to a buy a drink at a cafeteria inside the court compound, and the two officers gave him permission to do so alone. Richard, however, failed to return to his cell.

Ardjana said the officers involved were now being interrogated to ascertain whether they had colluded in Richard's escape.

Richard trial had been running since mid-April, with the prosecution demanding a sentence of four-years imprisonment for Richard if found guilty.