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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - On the evening of Monday, March 10, 2025, dozens of inmates broke out of Class IIB Kutacane Prison in Southeast Aceh.Just before iftar, they managed to breach three layers of security doors and escape.
The majority of the escapees were convicted in drug-related cases. Footage of the incident, which circulated on social media, showed inmates sprinting out of the prison compound—some forcing their way through the main entrance, while others climbed onto the roof to flee.
According to a Tempo, prison officials acknowledged that overcrowding played a significant role in the breakout. The facility housed 368 inmates, far beyond its intended capacity.
Additionally, there had been demands from inmates for private rooms within the prison. Order was gradually restored around 9 p.m. local time after prison authorities collaborated with the police, military, and local government. As of now, officers continue to track down the fugitives and investigate the motives behind the mass escape.
Prison breaks are not uncommon in Indonesia. Here are several other notable cases of inmate escapes.
1. Escape of 7 Inmates from Salemba Detention Center
Salemba Prison in Jakarta once faced a major security breach when seven drug convicts escaped from the Class I Detention Center in Central Jakarta, also known as Salemba Detention Center, on the early morning of Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
The inmates broke through bathroom grilles and crawled into a sewer that led outside the facility.
Head of Salemba Detention Center, Agung Nurbani, confirmed the incident, stating that the inmates exploited the shift change of the guards to execute their escape. Six of the seven fugitives were from Aceh, while one was a resident of Jakarta.
Among them was Murtala Ilyas, a notorious drug lord previously apprehended by the West Jakarta Metro Police's Narcotics Investigation Unit.
2. Drug Inmate Escapes from Sukadana Detention Center, Lampung
Another high-profile escape took place at Sukadana Detention Center in Lampung, where drug convict Bayu Wicaksono, sentenced to 14 years in prison, managed to flee.
After being transferred from Bandar Lampung and Mount Sugih Detention Centers, Bayu escaped from Class II B Sukadana in East Lampung, leading to his designation as a wanted person by the Lampung Regional Police.
As reported by Tempo, Bayu’s escape resulted in the dismissal of the Head of Sukadana Detention Center, Azis Gunawan, and the Head of Security.
The Head of the Corrections Division at the Lampung Province Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Kusnali, stated that both officials were summoned for questioning, and their mobile phones were seized as evidence.
Investigations revealed that Bayu may have escaped a month earlier, but the detention center’s leadership failed to report the incident promptly.
3. One Inmate Escapes from Nusakambangan Prison
A dramatic prison break unfolded at Nusakambangan when Muamar bin Arifin, alias Amar, convicted of extortion and theft, escaped from Permisan Prison on March 22, 2024, during an assimilation program.
His absence was only detected during a midday roll call. CCTV footage later revealed Muamar casually walking towards Nusakambangan Open Prison, even stopping to buy young coconuts, promising the officers would cover the cost.
Muamar was finally apprehended in a marshland 300 meters from the open prison after officers fired warning shots.
As a consequence, he was transferred to a Super Maximum High-Risk isolation cell at Batu Prison, where his rights to remission and parole were revoked. For three months, he was confined in a 2x3 meter isolation cell under 24-hour CCTV surveillance, with all activities, including meals and worship, strictly monitored.
4. Three Inmates Escape from Palangka Raya Prison, One Fatally Shot
In 2023, four inmates from Class II A Palangka Raya Prison, Central Kalimantan, escaped by scaling the prison wall on March 3, 2023. A joint team from the Central Kalimantan Regional Police launched an immediate manhunt.
Tempo reported Jihat Aji Nurmoko was the first to be captured at a relative’s house on March 7, 2023.
Hours later, two more fugitives, Pancareno Rama and Prihartono, were caught at Kilometer 26 on Jenderal Sudirman Street. During the recapture, Prihartono attacked officers with a machete and was fatally shot after ignoring warnings.
While on the run, the trio stole three motorcycles at different locations. The first theft occurred in the parking lot of Syuhada Mosque, where they took a Suzuki Satria F 150 and a Honda Vario.
The second theft happened at Baitul Yaqin Mosque, where they stole a Honda CBR 150. The fourth inmate, Abdurrahman, split from the group before the thefts.
5. 7 Detainees Escape from Jatiasih Police Precinct through a Breached Wall
On the night of October 13, 2022, seven detainees escaped from the Jatiasih Police Precinct in Bekasi by breaking through a bathroom wall.
The incident was discovered when other detainees alerted an officer on duty. Upon inspection, police found the wall had been drilled and reinforced with bent iron bars. Authorities launched an immediate search and found tools such as a metal rod and a spoon used to breach the wall.
Among the seven escapees, five were drug suspects, while the other two were involved in theft cases.
These prison breaks highlight the challenges of maintaining security in detention facilities across Indonesia. Each case underscores the importance of stricter monitoring and enhanced security measures to prevent future escapes.
Raden Putri Alpadillah Ginanjar, Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, Ayu Cipta, and ANTARA contributed to the writing of this article.
Editor’s Choice: Police Still Pursuing 28 Escaped Inmates from Aceh's Kutacane Prison
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