Two drug convicts escape, one injured

TANGERANG (JP): In a daring escape attempt, three convicts climbed a four-meter wall surrounding the Tangerang Women's Penitentiary in the early hours of Friday.

Two managed to escape, but the third, identified as Ranni Andriani, 25, a cocaine smuggler with a death sentence, was left behind after breaking her hip when she fell from the wall.

During questioning by prison officials, Ranni identified the other inmates as Maya, 40, and Angle Deby, 30, serving eight years and 1.5 years respectively for drug dealing and use. She said that the escape idea was spontaneous.

"It was 5 a.m., just after sahur (the morning meal of Ramadhan fasting month)... most inmates were praying... everything was quiet.

We took the chance to climb the wall," Ranni said.

She said that other two convicts climbed first.

"I fell. I couldn't move and my two friends couldn't care less. They escaped. I don't know where they went," Ranni said.

She said that she was lying on the ground crying for nearly two hours before a prison guard found her.

"I screamed for help. I was then rushed to the Tangerang General Hospital," Ranni told reporters.

"I have not been treated badly. I was just missing my family. This is the holy month of Ramadhan, and I was missing them."

Ranni was sentenced to death by the Tangerang District Court in August after being found guilty of being part of an international drug ring attempting to smuggle cocaine out of Indonesia.

Police seized six kilograms of cocaine and US$3,000 in cash from Ranni, and five kilograms of cocaine and $3,000 in cash from her male friend, at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport, on Jan. 12.

Both couriers were about to board a London-bound Cathay Pacific flight via Hong Kong.

Prison officials could not be reached to comment on their efforts to capture the two escapees. (41/ylt)