JEDDAH, 7 July 2005 — A death row inmate escaped from prison in Najran Tuesday afternoon. According to police, the prisoner, Misfer Saleh Al-Amr, planned the getaway with six of his relatives. A police source said: “The incident occurred during visiting hours; his whereabouts are still unknown.”
Some of his visiting relatives caused a commotion by starting a fight with other inmates and visitors. While the guards were busy breaking up the brawl, others among Al-Amr’s visitors smuggled him out. According to police, a car was waiting for him outside the prison gates.
The prisoner, who was convicted of murder, has been behind bars for 15 years, waiting for the family members of the victim to reach adulthood and decide if they want to forgive the killer or proceed with the death penalty. When contacted, no Najran prison official was willing to comment on the incident.
Prison guards have apprehended four of the people who played a vital role in planning and carrying out the prisoner’s escape. A source said that all the family members were arrested during the incident inside the prison. They are currently being interrogated.
The getaway car, a Toyota Jeep, has also been found. According to police, it belongs to one of the four men, who is currently in police custody. Police are still searching for the escaped prisoner.
Najran is located in the southwest of the Kingdom; reports said that Saudi security had tightened border controls in the region to prevent the fugitive from fleeing the country.
