Dozens of prisoners escaped in the Comoros simply by walking out the main gate of the capital’s Moroni prison, authorities say.
The public prosecutor blamed negligent security guards for the early morning prison escape.
However, a government spokesman told the Reuters news agency that the escape of the 38 men appeared to have been pre-planned.
Moroni prison, the largest in the Indian Ocean island nation, is dilapidated and overcrowded.
More than 200 prisoners are incarcerated there – more than double its capacity.
The fugitives are still at large and an investigation has been launched.
Public prosecutor Ali Mohamed Djounaid said he believed a soldier arrested last year for the death of a football fan during a World Cup qualifying match initiated the escape.
“The escape was instigated by the soldier who fired at the Malouzini football stadium in Moroni,” he said, according to the AFP news agency.
The private website Comoros Infos reported “internal collusion” as having facilitated the escape.
Moroni prison escapes are not uncommon.
In 2020, 23 inmates escaped under unclear circumstances and more than 40 prisoners escaped while the people celebrated the national football team’s victory over Kenya.
