Three officers at Angunukolapelessa Prison interdicted after inmates escape

Three officers at the Angunukolapelessa Prison have been interdicted following the escape of four inmates. 

The incident had occurred on October 1 when a group of 10 inmates had been taken out of the prison on the instructions of the prison's main jailor for cleaning duties. Four out of the 10 inmates who were taken out in this manner had subsequently escaped. 

The Department of Prisons stated that the main jailor had taken steps to remove these prisoners and have them engage in cleaning duties without the approval of the prison's superintendent and that he had not informed the superintendent about removing these inmates. 

All four escapees had pending court cases against them and they included one inmate serving a 21-year prison sentence while also having two other court cases pending against him.

Three of the inmates were subsequently captured but one remains at large. 

As per the recommendations of an initial inquiry conducted by the Assistant Superintendent of the Matara Prison, the main jailor of the Angunukolapelessa Prison who ordered the inmates to be taken out for cleaning duties, the junior jailor who took them out for those duties as well as the prison guard in charge of the cleaning crew have all been interdicted, Prisons Spokesman Gamini B. Dissanayake stated.