A recently captured fugitive involved in a narcotics case in Bali is requesting that he not be locked up in Kerobokan Prison, because he fears for his life.
I Wayan Murdana, alias Lengkong, 40, is concerned for his safety because of ‘threats’ from other inmates inside the prison, says the man’s lawyer, Benny Hariyono.
Hariyono plead to Denpasar District Court on Monday that he hopes his client can stay in custody of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Bali until trial and if sentenced, that he serve time at Tabanan Prison—not Bali’s largest prison, Kerobokan.
When asked who Lengkong was threatened by, the attorney claimed not to know the prisoner’s identity, but said his client had a target on his back for helping investigators understand the network in Kerobokan Prison.
“There is a direct threat, but the person’s identity wasn’t mentioned, except that it’s an inmate at Kerobokan Prison. If he dares to open up the network with evidence (in the trial), then his safety will be threatened. Not only his own, but also his family has been threatened,” Hariyono said, as quoted by Tribun Bali.
Lengkong previously escaped from BNN custody on May 16, 2017 with three other narcotics case suspects. He was captured just two days later at a homestay in North Lombok.
About Lengkong’s escape, Hariyono says his client was only trying to go to Lombok and wouldn’t have gone anywhere after that.
When asked if anyone helped him escape from the outside, Hariyono said his client didn’t have any help.
“He escaped using a fishing boat from Padangbai to Lombok,” the attorney said.
While the other recaptured detainees Lengkong escaped with have identified him as the initiator and brains of the operation, Hariyono says his client was actually a victim and had to flee because of a threat on his life.
“Lengkong says that he’s the one who informed BNN about the escape plan of the prisoners. Lengkong is the victim and says he was threatened. Because he was under a threat, he had to flee from Bali,” the lawyer explained.
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