Policeman charged with helping duo escape

By ELIZABETH VUVU
A POLICE officer in East New Britain has been charged with aiding two men to escape from a police station cell.
Another officer has been charged with stealing bail money.
Acting provincial police commander Senior Inspector Joseph Tabali said Chief Sergeant Harry Dale, 59, from Davaon village in Kokopo, was charged on Monday with aiding the escape of two detainees on Sept 25 between 3pm and 4pm at the Kokopo police station.
He said Senior Constable Michael Paim, 59, from Amulsong village, was charged with stealing K500 while he was in charge of the Mandres rural police post in Gazelle district.
Paim was also suspended for 21 days while awaiting his court case.
One of the escapees, Jack Robin, was wanted for a string of crimes in ENB.
He was arrested by police recently at Tokua airport after he tried to board an aircraft by using a fake name.
The other was Simon Kekep who was involved in the recent armed holdup at the Spirit of Rabaul wholesale store in Kokopo town.
Tabali said they discovered the two missing after detectives wanted to interview Robin.
Dale has also been suspended for 21 days.