KAKATA, Margibi – An acute lack of manpower at the Kakata Central Prison led to a mass jailbreak on Sunday evening, September 8, 2024, allowing over 100 inmates to escape. The incident, which unfolded around 6 p.m., has highlighted critical gaps in prison security due to an understaffed team of correctional officers.
Reports suggest that only four officers—three female and one male—were on duty when the prisoners broke through their inner cells and charged the main gate. The sheer number of inmates quickly overwhelmed the small team, enabling them to flee in large numbers without resistance.
Archie Kono, a resident near the prison, witnessed the chaos. “Around 6:30, I saw a large group of prisoners running out of the compound, going in different directions. Some of us tried to help the officers, but we couldn’t hold them back,” Kono said. He recounted a tense encounter where he attempted to stop one of the escapees. “The inmate threatened to kill me if I didn’t let him go.”
Mulbah Duowanah, a young eyewitness, described how the few officers on duty were helpless as the inmates broke free. “There was only one officer trying to make a phone call, but the prisoners chased him off as they forced the lock at the main gate,” Duowanah said. “The prisoners had machetes and rocks, and they were barely clothed.”
Prison Superintendent Nelson Owah refused to comment on the jailbreak, and journalists were denied access to further details. The incident has raised questions about the ability of local security forces to respond, as reports indicate that the joint security team in Margibi lacks the basic mobility needed to pursue the escaped inmates.
Similar incident occurred in April 2022, when 15 detainees escaped from the Margibi police headquarters due to inadequate supervision.
With more than 100 inmates on the run and little effort being made to track them down, residents are growing increasingly alarmed at the potential danger posed by the escaped prisoners.
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