Police in Sierra Leone Monday began a high level investigation into a jail break by 26 inmates who shot their way out of the maximum security Pademba Prison in the capital.

Seven prisoners were caught within the precincts of the prison but 19 others, considered dangerous, are still at large, the authorities said.

Prison spokesman Mohamed Johnny said two of the escapees were Nigerian nationals and the rest Sierra Leoneans.

"The jail break was led by Nigerian-born Wardford Smith, who was serving a 60-year jail term for the murder of a Guinean businessman involving a foreign currency transaction," Johnny said.

"He led the gang, firing shots as they went through three gates in the prison and out to the open."

Injuries
Three prison officers were injured among the 20 personnel that were on duty, security officials reported.

One senior prison officer has been arrested and is being questioned by police, Johnny said.

Although the prison is protected by giant steel gates and a razor-wire electric fence with electronic devices, it has suffered a series of breakouts.

Constructed by the British in 1940 to accommodate 324 prisoners, it now houses up to 1,200, according to records.

The Director of Prison in Sierra Leone, Moses Showers, was sacked by the government on Monday.

A statement signed by Vice President Sam Sumana broadcast on the radio and television said "the government is dismayed over the spate of jail breaks and has therefore terminated with immediate effect the services of the Director of Prisons, Mr Moses Showers".

Concerns
"Government is very much concerned over the repeated occurrence of prison breaks at the Pademba Prison and other parts of the country and decisive actions will be taken to put a stop to such security breaches", it added.

The police meanwhile revealed that a prison officer who was on duty at the time of the jail break had also disappeared.

A 20 million leones (about 5,000 US dollars) reward has been offered to anyone giving information leading to the arrest of any of the fugitives, police said.

President Ernest Koroma told parliament recently the prison system was being restructured "to ensure that it pays great attention to the rehabilitation of prisoners, giving them livelihood and civic skills beneficial to themselves, their communities and the entire country."

Source: AFP