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Jakarta prison guards blamed for 'hijab' jail break
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Rizal aka Anwar appears before the media following his arrest for raping and murdering his niece in Jasinga, Bogor, West Java,. (Kompas.com/Kahfi Dirga Cahya)
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rison guards allegedly failed to monitor inmates receiving guests during Idul Fitri at the Salemba Penitentiary, resulting in a convicted rapist and murderer to escape by posing as a woman in Muslim attire, an official said on Monday.
Prison guard negligence was to blame for the escape of Rizal aka Anwar, 26, on the second day of Idul Fitri celebrations on Thursday, the Law and Human Rights Ministry's director general for correctional facilities, I Wayan Kusmiantha Dusak, said. The director general had ordered the Salemba prison in Central Jakarta to require hijab-wearing visitors to wear special bracelets. However, the prison officers failed to distribute the bracelets.
The incident would be further investigated further, he added.
"We assume the officers believed that he was a woman,” Wayan told thejakartapost.com on Monday, adding that the police were searching for Rizal.
Meanwhile, Minister Yasonna Laoly also blamed the overcapacity of the prison for the jail break. There were only 20 guards on duty to secure around 3,000 visitors at the penitentiary during Idul Fitri, he said as reported by kompas.com.
Rizal was serving time for raping and murdering his 12-year-old niece in Jasinga, Bogor, West Java, on Oct. 23, last year. His wife, Ade Irma, visited Rizal on Thursday, bringing him Muslim attire and a hijab, which he wore to escape the prison. (rin)
