20101206
africanews

It was in the afternoon hours on Sunday and the scene was the Pademba road maximum prison situated in the heart of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. A black jeep with unidentified registration number with two ladies onboard arrived at the prison on the pretext of visiting prisoners. Few minutes after they left, there was reportedly gun shot, and dozens of hard core criminals overpowered the prison officers and made their way out.

This is not a scene from the popular Hollywood series Prison break but a scenario of how some 19 hardcore prisoners made their escape last weekend.

Speaking on the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, Public Relations Officer of the Sierra Leone’s Prison’s department said: “I want to apologise to the people of Sierra Leone for this jail break. It is a disgrace to the prisons department,” Mohamed Jimmy said.

Jimmy confirmed the escape of 19 hard core criminals from the Pademba prison who were serving various jail terms among them; two Nigerians Ekena Okoro - who was notable for killing a business man and also Watford Smith - aka mature who is also serving a 65 year jail term.

“Due to my investigation when I arrived at the Pademba road prison yesterday. I got information that a black jeep with two ladies visited the prison and Sunday is not a visiting day. We only allow visitors on Tuesday’s and Friday’s,” Jimmy said. He blamed a senior prison officer who was on duty for the jail break.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Sierra Leone Police ASP Ibrahim Samura said the Sierra Leone Police will do all it can to arrest the prisoners on the run.

This is not the first time prisoners have escaped from the Pademba prison. Residents in Freetown have appealed for the prison to be relocated outside Freetown due to security reasons.