‘Sick’ detainee flees hospital

 A DETAINEE at the Jomba Police station in Madang, who pretended that he was sick, tricked policemen on duty and escaped yesterday.

Acting provincial police commander Ben Neneo said the detainee pretended that he was sick and police officers on night shift rushed him to Modilon Hospital between 2am and 3am.

Neneo said police left the detainee at the emergency unit and returned to their duties but the detainee escaped.

“The detainee pretended to be ill and after police took him to the hospital, he took off,” Neneo said.

He said escape attempts were usual practices by detainees around the country but said one police officer should have stayed back to guard him.

Neneo said he would deal with the officers on duty and find out why no security was provided to the detainee.

Relatives of detainees in the cell have claimed that they were not fed and many were getting ill.

A police officer who did not want to be named, confirmed the report and said police had limited food rations and only some detainees ate.

He said hunger could have been the cause of the escape.

Neneo said police had food rations to feed detainees and had issued a notice banning relatives from providing food.

“For security measures, we stopped relatives from bringing food, and until we have nothing, we will advise you.”

He said there were several incidences in which relatives hid objects in the food that helped detainees to escape.