Eight of the 12 prison guards on duty at the Jeshwang Prisons on the evening of Thursday 3 August have been arrested and are helping with investigations into the dramatic escape of some 14 inmates.
According to Superintendent of Prisons Modou Lamin Ceesay, who is the PRO of the Prisons department, the 8 were the guards directly posted around the cell area and the back of the cells when more than dozen inmates made an escape using the roof of the main cell.
Speaking to The Standard last night, Ceesay said the whole thing boiled down to security lapses on the part of the officers who failed to mount patrols and stay focused on their duty which is to maintain permanent vigilance.
The PRO also said another factor that made it easy for the inmates to escape is partly because the structures are very old and easy to break or penetrate. Asked what will become of the prison guards, Ceesay said they will be helping in the investigations until all the circumstances are fully examined and determined by the competent authorities.
The PRO further revealed that one of the 14 escaped prisoners, one Musa Jallow has been rearrested and is also helping in the investigations while the search for the rest goes on.
