Inmates Temporarily Released on Palu, Donggala Earthquake

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Directorate General of Penitentiary of the Law and Human Rights Ministry has granted a temporary one-week release for the inmates in Palu, Poso, and Donggala penitentiaries to visit their relatives in the disaster-stricken region.

“If they fail to return after one week (from September 29), they will be searched by our task force from the central management and Central Sulawesi,” said Sri Puguh Utami, the director general of penitentiary, on Monday, October 1. 

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According to Sri Puguh, the decision was made as the area was under an emergency status. 

At the same time, Sri confirmed that rumors suggesting that hundreds of inmates escaped the Palu penitentiary was a hoax. Earlier, Palu prison warden Adhi Yan Ricoh said most of the inmates escaped the prison upon the earthquake. 

“Let alone searching for the escapees, the prison guards were panicked by the quake and ran for their lives during the earthquake,” said Adhi as quoted from Antara. 

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A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the region of Palu and Donggala on Friday, followed by a deadly tsunami that triggered 1.5-meter waves along the coastline of Palu Beach, while Donggala and Mamuju were struck by 50-centimeter to 60-centimeter tsunamis.

ANDITA RAHMA