Four Empat Lawang Police Detainees Escaped from Detention, 3 Police Officers Investigated

ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH/Larry Farr

JAKARTA - Three personnel from the Empat Lawang Police, South Sumatra, were examined by the Professional and Security Section (Propam) regarding the escape of four prisoners from the Empat Lawang Police cell.

The Public Relations Officer of the Empat Lawang Police, Iptu Ariyanto, said that the three personnel who were examined were Bripka ER, Brigpol ON, and Brigpol YA who were on duty guarding the prisoner block when the incident occurred.

The examination was carried out to investigate the alleged negligence of officers in the incident of the escape of four prisoners on Tuesday (2/6) around 02.00 WIB. Until now, the three personnel are still in the status of witnesses in the internal examination conducted by Propam Polres Empat Lawang.

"For more information, I will ask Propam," he said, quoted by ANTAAR, Thursday, January 4.

In addition to conducting internal examinations, his party also continued to pursue the four prisoners who escaped from the cell.

"The four detainees are still being pursued until today," he said.

The incident of the first prisoner's death was first known by the officers of the Prison and Evidence Unit (Tahti) while conducting a routine patrol in the prisoner block area. The officers found that the ventilation iron bars in cell number 2 had been damaged and the detention room was empty.

The four inmates who escaped were Febri Andi Kaspura (36) a resident of Batu Raja Lama Village and Badri (42) a resident of Pagar Jati Village who were suspects in drug cases.

Then, Pigo Ardiansyah (22) a resident of Tanjung Tawang Village who was involved in the case under Article 476 of the Criminal Code and Irianto alias Yanto (45) a resident of Babatan Village who was detained in a general criminal case.

However, a prisoner with the initials TS (29) chose to stay in the cell and did not flee with the other four prisoners.

From TS's statement to investigators, the escape plan was allegedly prepared four days before the incident. The prisoners slid the ventilation bars a little at a time so as not to make suspicious noises.

After the ventilation bars were successfully damaged, the prisoners came out through the hole and climbed using a rope before jumping over the outer fence of the detention area.