Warders jailed for complicity in prisoner’s escape

Elat Rodrique and Akain Thaddeus were convicted by the Fundong Magistrate Court on May 13, 2015, for abetting the escape of a high profile prisoner from prison.

On the strength of a May 13, 2015 verdict of the Fundong Court of First Instance in Boyo Division of the North West Region, the Assistant Superintendent of the Fundong Prison, Akain Thaddeus Ngus and Elat Elat Rodrique, a warder, were jailed for facilitating the escape of a high profile prisoner, Saidou Abdou, from the Fundong Prison.

The judgement features four months imprisonment for the first accused, Elat Elat Rodrique and three months for the second accused, Akain Thaddeus Ngus.

Both will each pay FCFA 73,500 as costs to the State of Cameroon or serve extra six months with hard labour. They were charged with the offence which is contrary and punishable under Section 193 (2) of the Penal Code.

According to the ruling, Saidou Abdou, who is on the run, was jailed on February 9, 2015, to serve a seven-year term with hard labour for stealing cows. Barely two weeks in prison, he applied to visit his family in Belo, Boyo Division.

The 52-year-old Assistant Superintendent, Akain Thaddeus Ngus, who claimed humanitarian concern, endorsed the application without the authorisation of his boss, thereby violating service directives. He also failed to have the application cross-checked by the Prison Discipline Master as required by Internal Rules and Regulations.

Elat Elat Rodrique, 21, on the other hand was assigned to escort the prisoner to Belo, but failed to bring him back. He was tricked by Saidou Abdou, who on arrival in Belo, changed his destination to Ndawara, unknown to the prison authorities who issued the permit.

The court appeared at a loss why the warder took the risk of accompanying Saidou to Ndawara without handcuffs and without the knowledge of his boss. The court was convinced that in the process, Elat Rodrique forgot his duties, obligations and responsibilities as the custodian of the prisoner and rather reduced himself to a friend.

It was against this backdrop that the court, presided by Mr. Justice Mukete Tahle Itoe, found both Elat Rodrique and Akain Thaddeus Ngus guilty under Section 395 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Code. The Superintendent of the Fundong Prison, Fokum Kulitun.