One dead, dozens poisoned at Bali’s Kerobokan prison

One woman is dead and dozens of others rushed to hospital after a poisoning incident at a Bali jail holding Australians.

One person has died and a dozen remain in hospital after drinking disinfectant in Bali’s notorious Kerobokan prison, where six Australians are being held.

On the weekend 21 inmates of Kerobokan jail – which is known locally as Hotel K – were rushed to hospital after consuming disinfectant mixed with orange flavoured powder.

A 4.5 litre bottle of the poison, that is used to spray the prison as part of the Covid health protocols, was stolen by an inmate who mixed it with an orange flavoured vitamin C drink called NutriSari and sold it to inmates for $5 a glass.

She allegedly told the prisoners that it was ‘arak’ a strong local sugarcane liquor.

As inmates started vomiting and became crippled with stomach cramps and fever, prison authorities were alerted to the emergency.

Four prisoners were evacuated to Sangalah hospital in Denpasar and one woman identified as Ni Radita died on Friday.

“The four people evacuated to Sangalah were in critical conditions. Later that day, one person died,” said prison chief Ms Lili.

“On hearing that someone had died, the other drinkers became worried. As they started to develop symptoms, they began to admit that they also drank the disinfectant,” Ms Lili added.

Bali's Kerobokan prison where dozens of prisoners fell ill. Picture: AFP

By Saturday, 21 inmates had been transferred from the prison to the hospital to treat the mass poisoning.

“Our prison is clean, there are no narcotics, no methamphetamine. The inmates try everything to get drunk. They think the disinfectant is alcohol. We use the disinfectant for health protocols in prison. But it is misused by the prisoners,” Ms Lili said.

A spokesman for Sangalah hospital, Mr I Dewa Ketut Kresna, said the inmate who died suffered from fatal kidney damage from the chemicals.

It is believed the dead woman was 25 years old and serving a five-year and six-month sentence for possession of one gram of methamphetamine.

She is understood to have been the cellmate of American Heather Mack who killed her mother Sheila Von Weise Mack in 2014.

Australian ‘Bali Nine’ member Matthew Norman is inside the prison. Picture: AAP

Mack was not among those who drank the disinfectant.

“We are planning an autopsy but are still waiting for a formal request from the police. The patient arrived at the hospital with complaints ranging from dizziness, nausea and vomiting,

shortness of breath and blurred,” Mr Kresna said.

Kerobokan jail has been locked down since March 31, last year and prisoners have not been permitted any visits since then.

Human Rights Watch believes that lockdown, which is part of Covid management, has caused prisoners to either fall into depression or embrace violence.

As tempers reach boiling point physical fights break out regularly, including in the usually peaceful women’s side of the prison.

Prison officers report that they have nothing – such as enjoying family visits – to motivate prisoners to behave well.

SIX AUSSIE INMATES IN KEROBOKAN

Kerobokan jail in Bali has played host to Australian larrikins, drug addicts, dealers and traffickers since it opened in 1979.

With a total of 1400 inmates – it was built to hold just 300 people – only six Aussies are on the current roll call.

The most infamous prisoners inside the ignominious jail are the two members of the Bali Nine who reside in Kerobokan.

MATTHEW NORMAN

In 2005, the Bali Nine plot was to move 8.3kg of heroin from Bali to Australia. As a mule in the operation, Norman was sentenced to life in prison that was changed on appeal to the death sentence which was later changed back to life. He is acknowledged as a model prisoner.

SI YI CHEN

Chen was also a mule in the Bali Nine plot. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2005. An appeal the following year saw his sentence increases to the death penalty, but it was also reverted to life. Like Norman, Si Yi Chen is a noted for his good behaviour.

Australian ‘Bali Nine’ member Si Yi Chen. Picture: AAP

ROBERT ELLIS

Convicted paedophile Robert Ellis, 75, was handed a 15-year sentence in 2016 for the grooming and sexual abuse of 11 girls aged between seven and 17 in rural Bali.

Australian child sex abuser Robert Ellis. Picture: AAP

BRENDON JOHNSSON

The former Sunshine Coast resident was sentenced to five years prison in 2019 after he and his girlfriend were caught with 11.6 grams of cocaine – worth about $3,000 at their Kuta home.

SHANE DAVEY CHRISTIAN

Shane Davey, 46 of Subiaco in Western Australia, was arrested in 2020 when Bali police launched a sting at his house and allegedly found 0.19 grams of marijuana, and 0.42 grams of a purple powder police believe to be ecstasy. He faces a maximum penalty of 12 years prison and is awaiting trial.

TRAVIS MCLEOD

Travis Mcleod, 50 of Fremantle, WA, was sentenced to one year in jail after police found 0.8 grams of in his villa in December 2020.

Originally published as One dead, dozens poisoned at Bali’s Kerobokan prison