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Four injured after inmates torch Bali’s largest prison

Rampaging inmates torched Bali’s largest correctional facility, Kerobokan Prison, in a riot that started Tuesday night and continued until Wednesday morning

Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post)
Denpasar
Thu, February 23, 2012 Published on Feb. 23, 2012 Published on 2012-02-23T08:36:14+07:00

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Four injured after inmates torch Bali’s largest prison

R

ampaging inmates torched Bali’s largest correctional facility, Kerobokan Prison, in a riot that started Tuesday night and continued until Wednesday morning. Three inmates were injured when the police finally stormed the prison and put an end to the riot. One officer suffered a minor injury after being hit by a stone hurled by the inmates.

As of late Wednesday, the situation was calm in the prison. A text message sent by an inmate revealed that the prison was in total darkness since the electricity was still cut off.

Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Totoy Herawan Indra said that all inmates were safe, including 33 foreign nationals incarcerated in the prison. “All foreign inmates are in good condition. When I met them this morning, they seemed fine. They were laughing when I met them. They even invited me to join them for a photo session,” he said.

The foreign inmates include Australian Schapelle Leigh Corby, 34, who is serving a 20-year prison term after she was found guilty in high-profile drug case. The prison also houses the Bali Nine — Australian nationals convicted for being members of a drug smuggling ring.

The overcrowded prison — originally designed to house 323 inmates and now holding 1,015 prisoners — has been plagued by violent episodes for years. The most recent incident occurred on Sunday when an inmate identified as I Made Ariasa was slashed by his fellow inmate, identified as Banshori. Ariasa is a member of one of the most feared street gangs in Bali. Several members Ariasa’s gang also incarcerated in the prison angrily chased Banshori after the incident, nearly triggering a full-scale riot.

Bali Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Ketut Untung Yoga Ana and the Law and Human Rights Ministry’s director general for correctional facilities, Sihabudin, stated Sunday’s incident was the primary cause of Tuesday’s riot. “The victim and his gang felt that the case had not been taken care of in a fair way,” Sihabudin said.

At around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Ariasa approached a prison guard and asked about the origin of the knife that Banshori had used in the brawl. When the guard could not provide a satisfactory answer, Ariasa unleashed his rage on every object around him. Soon, his gang joined the violent rampage, storming the prison administration’s office and set it on fire.

Some 20 guards immediately locked down the prison before retreating into the prison yard with their guns drawn. They called the police for backup as angry inmates took over the prison, setting a watchtower on fire and hurling stones at the guards.

The riot squad officers were joined by a Mobile Brigade special operations unit at the scene, forming a perimeter to block all escape routes from the prison. Armored vehicles equipped with water canon were positioned in front of the prison while five fire engines extinguished the fire.

As dozens of inmates continued hurling stones and insults at the officers, another group of inmates tried to break into the female prison block. They were thwarted by scores of inmates who stood guard before the block’s gate.

Kerobokan Prison profile

Location: Five kilometers north of Kuta.
Kerobokan Prison was built in 1976 on a 4-hectare plot of land. It has 126 cells in 14 blocks.
Current capacity: 1,050 inmates and detainees (suspects awaiting trial)
Ideal capacity: 330 inmates
Inmate/guard ratio: 1,000:20

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