103 Inmates from Tanjung Gusta Still at Large

By Munawar Mandailing Medan, North Sumatra (Antara) - Police are still searching for 103 out of 212 inmates including four terrorism prisoners who recently escaped from the Tanjung Gusta penitentiary in Medan, North Sumatra. "Most of their identities and photos have not yet been known as their files were all burned during fires ahead of the jailbreak last July 11," prison official Amran Silalahi said here on Friday. He said only 40 of the 103 missing inmates have their identities and photos found. So far 109 of the 212 inmates that had escaped have been recaptured or surrendered but 103 are still at large, he said. The escapees include nine terrorism prisoners but five of them had been recaptured namely Anton Sujarwo, Abu Azam. Jaja Miharja, Pautan and Khairul Banin. Four others namely Fadli Sadama, Agus Sunyoto, Abdul Gani Siregar and Nibran alias Arab are still at large. During the fires and rioting following a power outage that led to the jailbreak two prison officials were killed namely Hendra Rico Naibaho (28) and Bona Hotman Situngkir (38). Three prisoners meanwhile died in the incident namely Ng Hui Tan Awi (48), Jhon Gabriel Tarigan (26) and Johanes Leo Situmorang (34). Overcapacity has been blamed as one of the factors causing the incident. A total of 2,016 prisoners are accommodated at the penitentiary which actually only has the capacity for 1,050. (*)