Authorities in North Macedonia have taken action against 17 police officers who were serving at a prison in the country's capital, Skopje. The officers have been detained on suspicion of assisting in the separate escapes of two inmates, one of whom is a murder convict.
The first incident involved six officers who are believed to have played a role in the escape of the murder convict last October. During a scheduled visit to a private hospital, the inmate was accompanied by two of the suspected officers to a smoking area. The officers then left the inmate unattended, allowing him to escape. The escape was not reported to superiors by the officers on duty, and the convict remains at large.
Prosecutors have recommended that the six accused police officers be held in pre-trial detention as the investigation continues.
In a separate case, 11 police officers are accused of allowing an inmate to leave a hospital during a visit, although the inmate later returned to the facility.
If convicted on the charges they are currently facing, all of the officers under investigation could face up to five years in prison. The charges include dereliction of duty and assisting in the escape of an incarcerated person.
Authorities are taking these incidents seriously and are working to ensure accountability and justice in these cases of alleged misconduct within the law enforcement system of North Macedonia.
