Police have recaptured 22 of the 42 inmates who escaped from Hpa-an Prison as of Sept. 18.
The inmates escaped from the prison in the Kayin State capital on Sunday morning by attacking the driver of a garbage truck and driving the truck through the prison gates. The truck was later found stuck in mud in Hlaingbwe Township, 14 miles away from the prison. The escapees then fled on foot into the jungle and into nearby villages, where they have been trying to blend in.
Police announced that they captured 13 inmates on the same day as the escape, eight on Monday, and one on Tuesday.
According to state media, another 20 convicts remain at large. Police, border guards, and the military Police have posted photos of the escapees online and asked local villagers to report any sightings. They have also warned the public that the escapees could be violent, since they are traveling without any food or money.
All of the recaptured inmates will be dealt new charges under Myanmar’s Penal Code and Public Property Protection Act.
Kyaw Main Hla, the leader of the escape plot, who was fatally shot in the process of being recaptured. Before the escape, he had been serving a life sentence without parole for drug trafficking, illegal possession of arms, and the attempted murder of two people, one of whom died.
Of the 42 escapees, most were convicts, some serving long sentences, while about a dozen were still on trial.
