At least 13 inmates escaped from Kuajok main prison in Warrap State on Friday, local officials said.
Major General Cristiano Garang, Warrap state acting director of prisons services, told Radio Tamazuj Friday that the 13 male prisoners dug the jail from behind and escaped around 3 am.
But he said all are convicted of minor cases.
“They (prisoners) are convicted with minor cases like theft and adultery, and those convicted with death penalty didn’t escape,” he said.
According to the prison officer, a manhunt involving several security forces is underway.
Meanwhile, Brigadier Akuechbeny Machol, director of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), confirmed the prison break.
“It was on Thursday that we heard demonstrations in the prison because a man was fined and asked to pay seven cows for adultery and fines and should be kept in prison until he finishes the payment and fines, but he started resisting this from the court, and when he was brought to prison, he joined other inmates and broke the prison from behind, they are 13 in number,” he said
General Machol accused the prison officers of aiding the inmates to escape.
“I went with our police to draw the scene and compile a report, and after that, I left. The report was taken by prison officers from my CID personnel, which is a big issue. Because we don’t want problems, I advised police personnel to come and leave them. I am in suspicion that prison officers were the ones who gave hoe to prisoners to dig the wall,” he said.