According to a union official, a staff member at a prison has been suspended unjustly following the accidental release of a migrant sex offender from HMP Chelmsford. Hadush Kebatu, a citizen of Ethiopia, was mistakenly let go on Friday instead of being transferred to an immigration detention facility, causing uproar among government officials. Kebatu managed to reach London before being apprehended again on Sunday.
An investigation led by Justice Secretary David Lammy has been initiated, focusing on the circumstances that led to Kebatu’s premature release. Mark Fairhurst, the national chairman of the prison officers’ union, expressed the collective dismay of prison staff over the incident, highlighting the disruption faced by the suspended worker.
It appears that errors occurred during the handling of paperwork and the necessary checks before Kebatu’s release, resulting in the oversight that led to his inappropriate freedom. Lammy informed lawmakers that Kebatu will soon be repatriated to Ethiopia, acknowledging the distress of his victims and the public.
Lammy emphasized the imperative of accountability for the “human error” that allowed Kebatu’s release and stressed the need for immediate corrective actions to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Dame Lynn Owens, a former deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has been tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding Kebatu’s release and assessing its impact on the victims.
Enhanced measures, including heightened oversight and revised release protocols, have been introduced by the head of His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to prevent inadvertent releases. These changes include mandatory presence of a duty governor for the release of foreign nationals and the temporary suspension of deportations from HMP Chelmsford. Lammy also disclosed a concerning rise in mistaken releases since 2021, prompting the urgent need for stricter controls.