Story By: Sofija Dizdarevik, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

A violent convict has managed to escape from prison guards while being transported after they stopped the van to buy sandwiches.

According to local media, prisoner Fidan Asani, 38, was being transported from a health centre in the northern Macedonian capital Skopje to the nearby Idrizovo Prison when the cops stopped to buy food.

Reports said that Asani, who was not handcuffed, was waiting in the back of the van and when the prison guards opened the door, he jumped them and managed to flee the scene.

Idrizovo Prison director Bobi Mojsoski told local media: “The entire incident is due to negligence and mistakes made by the prison guards.

“Instead of the following the normal route, they turned off the road and stopped at a petrol station to buy sandwiches.

“They reported the incident to their superior after returning to the prison.

“They will also have to explain why the prisoner was not handcuffed in the van at the time.

According to local media, the fugitive was caught by the Macedonian police five hours after escaping.

Asani was reportedly heading north towards the Kosovo border when he was arrested near the village of Presnica in the municipality of Lipkovo.

Meanwhile, the prison guards have been suspended as the investigation continues.

According to reports, Asani was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for multiple crimes including violence, threatening behaviour and human trafficking, among others.

He had only served 18 months of his sentence when the incident took place.

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