10 escapees on the run

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
ELEVEN prisoners, among them murder-accuseds, a convicted killer and armed robbery suspects, escaped from the Lorengau Prison in Manus last weekend.
Ten of them remain on the loose, provincial police commander Chief Insp David Yapu said.
One of the convicted prisoners who had escaped last Sunday surrendered to the Correctional Services (CS) authority with the help of his family and community leaders of Cancer Hill , upper ward 6 in Lorengau town, he said.
The convicted killer, he said, was serving 18 years with hard labour.
“Six were remanded in custody awaiting their National Court trial,” Chief Insp Yapu said.
“The prisoners broke out by cutting an iron bar in the cell near the toilet, came out the window, climbed the fence, removed the razor wire and jumped down to the ground, escaping by foot into the nearby Wamundu settlement.”
Chief Insp Yapu said the escapees were high-risk and dangerous and appealed to the community to assist and report them to police or CS or have them surrender.
He said anyone harbouring them would be charged.
“We must all work together to bring them back to where they are supposed to be, at CS Manus,” he said.
Chief Insp Yapu said he had contacted the families and relatives of the escapees to help bring them in.
He has also gone through the local radio station to assist with disseminating information to the public to be aware of them.