Buiebi prison break blamed on ‘poor management’

THE prison break at Buiebi was the result of poor management and incompetent officers failing to do their jobs, says Correctional Service commissioner Stephen Pokanis.
Pokanis told The National that manpower should not be an issue because officers were always on duty at the institution according to their duty rosters.
“Six detainees escaped from Buiebi last week after two men pretending to be visitors open fired on guards and opened the jail gates to set free three of their gang members who had been detained,” he said.
“Three were taken out by their gang while the other three climbed over the fence and escaped. I have tasked the commanding officer to provide his report immediately to me and to his assistant commissioner.”
Pokanis said all visitors to the institution or any institution must be checked thoroughly prior to their entry into the Correctional facility.
“That is the practice and I expect commanding officers and officers on duty to do this routine and mandatory work at all times.
“Whether the officers are policing this mandatory practice or not is something the acting commanding officer will have to tell me. So, I will wait for the full report before I make any comment.”
Pokanis said he would also have to confirm if the detainees were inside the compound or outside to visit their relatives or friends when they escaped.
“Families, friends and accomplices of detainees who escape from Correctional institutions must know that they have greater responsibilities to uphold the law at all times.
“They should not hide detainees who escape from Correctional institutions. We cannot uphold the law or enforce the rule of law if a few citizens continue to work against the very system that is set up to help us.”