Alongside the construction of prisons and guard posts, the French colonial authorities also built administrative offices and supporting facilities such as the Post Office, Treasury Office, and the Police Station (Sở Cò). These establishments formed the administrative machinery serving the prison system. According to the document “Con Dao Prison 1862–1975”:
“Under the authority of the Island Superintendent were heads of various administrative units such as the Chief of Police and the Lighthouse Keeper.”
The Con Dao Police Station began operating in the early 20th century. During the American-backed regime, the building served as the headquarters of the Military Police. The compound covers 1,516.2 m², consisting of one main building, one auxiliary building, two solitary confinement cells, and a courtyard.
Sở Cò is also one of the French-style architectural structures located within the old prison town, built in 1929 to serve the colonial prison administration. More importantly, this is where heroine Võ Thị Sáu spent the final hours of her life. Even facing imminent death, she remained steadfast, courageous, and optimistic—firm in her belief in the eventual victory of the revolution.
The final night of Võ Thị Sáu at Sở Cò
At dawn on January 22, 1952, the military transport ship carrying Vietnam’s first and only female political death-row prisoner, Võ Thị Sáu, arrived at Con Dao Bay. A smaller boat transferred her to shore, where Island Governor Jarty ordered that she be taken directly to Sở Cò and held in solitary confinement under strict guard.
Upon learning about her arrival, the Island Party Committee and prisoner networks secretly arranged for certain trusted prisoners working as servants at Sở Cò and the warden’s office to contact her and encourage her before the execution.
That noon, a prisoner serving at Sở Cò brought food to her cell and conveyed greetings from the Island Party Committee. Deeply moved, she replied:
“Please tell everyone not to worry. I chose the path of fighting for our nation’s independence, so I also know how to choose a dignified death. Send my regards to all of our comrades…”
According to the same prisoner, Võ Thị Sáu stayed awake the entire night, singing revolutionary songs—Lên Đàng, Cùng Nhau Đi Hồng Binh, Tiến Quân Ca, Tiểu Đoàn 307—her voice echoing through the silent, oppressive darkness of the prison.
Execution and legacy
At 4:00 a.m. on January 23, 1952, the police chief Vol Peter escorted her to Superintendent Passi’s office for formal procedures, before taking her to the execution site at 7:00 a.m. that same morning.
Her unwavering courage and heroic spirit have become a symbol of pride for generations of Vietnamese youth who honor her name.
Today, visitors to the Con Dao Prison Relic System often make it a point to visit the Con Dao Police Station Historical Site, where Võ Thị Sáu was once held—the first and only female political prisoner executed by the French colonial regime on Con Dao.
