By PETER MIVA
THIRTY-seven detainees escaped from the Lae police station in two separate incidents last weekend.
At mid-day last Friday, 17 detainees including a suspect in the recent vicious murder at Lae Aviat Club, walked out to freedom when they sandwiched the sole duty officer between the cell door and the wall.
Five were recaptured right after breaking out.
On Sunday, 20 more escaped using an opening through an unused and unlocked cell that had been awaiting repairs for over a year.
None has been recaptured yet.
Police are now hunting for 32 escapees.
Last month, 19 dashed to freedom during the Morobe Show weekend.
The duty officer, name withheld, was alone looking after a sick detainee when he was hustled by the detainees, Metropolitan Supt Nema Mondiai said.
Supt Mondiai said half of the detainees had no records of their reasons for being detained and were believed to be petty offenders arrested by reservists.
He said the duty officer would be disciplined once investigations were completed.
Supt Mondiai said the second escape occurred between 11pm last Saturday night and the early hours of Sunday morning.
He said the cell was “carelessly opened” by a duty constable who was alleged to be under the influence of alcohol.
He said the constable was thought to have opened all the cell doors including the unused cell during feeding time.