Prison break foiled at police custodial island

A group of detainees broke out of their cells at the police custodial facility on the island of Dhoonidhoo around 3am Monday morning but were caught before they could escape.

According to the police, one detainee broke the lock of his cell and attempted to set others free.

“The situation was brought under control, the detainees were put back in their cells, and measures were taken for the safety and security of the custodial,” the police said, adding that a headcount was taken to ensure that all detainees were accounted for.

A spokesperson declined to reveal further details.

According to local media, about six detainees attempted to escape but were caught by the police officers who guard the detention centre before they could get off the island.

The Dhoonidhoo island is a five-minute speedboat ride from the capital Malé. The custodial is used to house detainees awaiting either trial or sentencing.

Detainees have escaped from Dhoonidhoo in the past. A 20-year-old arrested on a robbery charge escaped in June 2009 but was caught while swimming to the nearby island of Hulhumalé. He was spotted by passengers on the Hulhumalé ferry.

A man convicted over the 2007 Sultan park bomb blast also escaped from the custodial centre in early 2009. Moosa Inaz had also escaped from the high-security Maafushi prison.

More recently, two inmates escaped from Maafushi island in October 2014. Fariyash Ahmed and Ibrahim Shahum Adam, both of whom were serving life sentences for murder, were apprehended in Malé days later in a joint military and police operation.