Helping Death Convict Cai Changpan, 2 Prison Officers Become Suspects

Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Yusri Yunus (Photo: Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya)

JAKARTA - The police have named two Tangerang Class I Correctional Institutions (Lapas) officers as suspects behind Cai Changpan's escape. They are considered negligent in carrying out their duties and helping death convicts escape for drug cases.

Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Yusri Yunus said that the determination of the suspects against the two prison officers was based on the results of the case title.

"The first two prison employees, one prison officer with the initials S and the other with the initials S, are health workers at the Tangerang Class I prison. From the start, we raised their status as a suspect," said Yusri to reporters, Tuesday, October 6.

They were thought to be negligent and helped the escape because they followed Cai Changpan's orders to buy a water pump. In fact, every time the water pump is used they also save it.

"Every day the two of them store these items and after finishing using them they are stored for nearly 8 months," said Yusri.

Thus, they are suspected of using Article 426 of the Criminal Code regarding deliberately letting people escape or deliberately releasing them, or providing assistance when the person is released or running away with the threat of 4 years in prison.

Previously it was reported that the police discovered the alleged involvement of two officers behind the escape of death row prisoner, Cai Cangphan from the Tangerang Class I Correctional Institution (Lapas). The two prison officers are said to have played a role as equipment providers.

Information about the alleged involvement of the two officers was based on the results of the witness examination. The two of them were ordered to buy equipment and store it back to eliminate traces of the escape.

"He (two officers) received money from the suspect (Cai Changpan). Then he bought it using the address concerned or this warden's employee. Even took him there (Lapas), he also took it back to his house," said Yusri.

In addition, based on the results of their examination of the two, they claimed to have received hundreds of thousands of rewards. However, to be sure both are still being examined intensively.

"According to the statement he bought it, he got a return of Rp. 100,000, yes, he also delivered Rp. 100,000, that's the statement from the person concerned," he said.

Cai Changpan alias Antoni managed to escape from the Tangerang Class I Prison on Monday, September 14. He escaped by making a hole in the wall and entering the sewer. In the cell were found shovels and several other tools that were thought to have been used to escape.

Quoted from the Supreme Court (MA) directory, Cai Changpan alias Antoni was sentenced to death by the Tangerang District Court on July 19, 2017 for a drug case. This death row inmate then submitted an appeal to the Banten High Court on September 28, 2017, but was rejected.

Cai Changpan was found guilty of a case of methamphetamine drugs with 1,135 plastic packs of evidence. The total weight of methamphetamine is stated in the court decision to reach 135 kilograms.