2 inmates escape Nusa Kambangan prison

2 inmates escape Nusa Kambangan prison

Yuliasri Perdani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Archipelago | Thu, November 28 2013, 5:01 PM



Two inmates, one of whom is on death row for murder and robbery, escaped the high-security Batu Penitentiary on Nusakambangan island in Cilacap regency, Central Java, early on Thursday.

Akbar Hadi Prabowo, spokesman for the penitentiary directorate general at the Law and Human Rights Ministry, said on Thursday that the inmates, identified as Harun bin Ajis and Suhardi bin Abdul Hamid Raja, escaped the facility by cutting through the metal bars covering their prison cell.

“They may have cut the metal bars using a hacksaw obtained from a workshop in the prison. There’s also the possibility a prison visitor smuggled in the hacksaw. We’re still investigating this matter,” Akbar said over the phone.

Harun was sentenced to death for robbery and murder, while Suhardi was sentenced to life in prison for another robbery case.

The Cilacap Police have deployed officers and two patrol speedboats to comb the area and waters around the facility.

“We have distributed photos of the inmates in the hope that residents nearby the facility will recognize them,” Akbar added.

This is the second prison escape at the facility this month. On Nov. 14, a murder convict, identified as Ahmad Yusuf alias Oji, ran away after being ordered by a prison officer to dump garbage outside the facility.