Prisoner serving 22-year sentence escapes on last day of his jail term

A prisoner serving a 22-year sentence patiently complied with the authorities up to the last day of the jail term only to escape from the correctional facility.

Reports say the Russian man, Kamoljon Kalonov had been serving a lengthy 22-year sentence for a double murder, theft, and possession of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and explosive devices.

The SHOT Telegram channel reports that he was to be released from the IK-19 penal colony in the village of Markova near Irkutsk, but he simply couldn’t wait for official emancipation.

The regional department of the Federal Penitentiary Service who reportedly mounted a search for Kalonov told RIA Novosti that he disappeared on the morning of his release day, at around 4 a.m.

Kamoljon Kalonov, who hails from the Irkutsk region's Zima city, was initially found guilty of leading a criminal gang and freed from prison in 1997. He was later found guilty once more in 2001 and given a 22-year sentence. Technically, at least, the colony from which he vanished was an open prison where inmates were permitted to walk around freely.

Absence from a colony-settlement for three days is not seen as a prison break, but rather as evading capture. After 22 years, Kalonov was set to be released on parole and subjected to forced labour, but on the day of his release, he seemed to have made the decision to flee.

In a statement, the press service of the Main Directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Irkutsk Region said Kalonov risked being jailed for jailbreak if he was not found within a stipulated time.

“If during this time he does not come back or is not found, then the inmate risks a criminal punishment of up to 4 years in prison,” the statement read.

The fact that Kalonov patiently served his sentence up to the last day but could not wait to be officially released has left many people baffled.

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