18 dash for freedom

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
Eighteen inmates broke out of Mt Hagen police cells during the early hours of Wednesday morning in Western Highlands province.
Provincial police commander chief Insp Ambane Kaiglo said yesterday these people were locked up in one cell block when they removed an iron roof and climbed over the security fence and escaped while duty policemen were not around near the cell block.
He said that the mass breakout occurred between 2am and 5am on Wednesday morning.
Insp Kaiglo said policemen on duty failed to check the cell block regularly to ensure that people behind bars stayed put in their cells.
He said that Criminal Investigation Division (CID) officers would carry out an internal investigation into the breakout.
Insp Kaiglo said that policemen on duty would face disciplinary actions for their negligence, resulting in the breakout.
Other inmates in the cell, however, decided not to dash for freedom.
Insp Kaiglo said the people on the run posed a big threat to the ordinary citizens in the province and urged the people to report to their nearest police station if they saw any of these escapees hiding in their communities.
He added that these people were law breakers and should not be allowed to roam around freely in any one community or in the city.