Two prisoners in Kampot province fled to freedom yesterday after being taken 17 kilometres away from the prison to help construct a new building for incarceration.

According to provincial prison chief Chea Rithy, the two men, Sun Srean, 46, and So Ngok, 29, were brought to Teuk Chou district’s Koh Touch commune at around noon yesterday to help out with construction.

“While having lunch, they asked to go to the toilet and they escaped. Our men chased them but we were unable to catch them as it’s a forested area,” he said.

The prison guards continued to search for them yesterday evening, but the pair had not yet been caught as of press time.

Yun Phally, a prison researcher at rights group Licadho, said the case exhibited “carelessness” on the part of prison authorities.

Both prisoners were due to be released early next year and had been jailed on charges of robbery and intentional violence, respectively.