Andrews: They should have surrendered

 By BENNY GETENG

POLICE, which had a K100,000 bounty on William Nanua Kapris and accomplice Raphael Walimini, had guaranteed their safety if they turned themselves in voluntarily, Assistant Commissioner of Police Jim Andrews (pictured, right) said yesterday.

Andrews said on June 3 he had appealed to the two convicts and their friends and  their relatives for both of them to surrender either to a notable pastor or reputable leader to avoid getting hurt. 

“I had assured both of them that no harm would be done to them by police if they had heeded my appeal and had come forward voluntarily surrendering  to my office.” 

“It was an assurance that although they had committed crimes, I had guaranteed their safe return with me personally escorting them back to Bomana. They would have been dealt accordingly by the law without any harm.”

That is all water under the bridge now. On Monday police confronted and shot dead both men along the Hiritano Highway, a few kilometres outside Port Moresby.

Four people who were with them have been detained and are in police custody waiting charges to be laid on aiding and harbouring notorious convicts.

Andrews, who is NCD/Central divisional commander, said the four will be charged with one count each of aiding and harboring the two escaped convicts.

Among the four are a serving soldier, an ex-soldier and two females. Although police reported that the four were with the two escapees and that the two were shot in an exchange of gun fire, none of the four were hurt. 

They are now at the Boroko police station and police investigators are going through the normal interview, collecting of statements and questioning process.

“Charges are most likely to be laid on these suspects who are now in police custody.” 

“If arrested this will bring to a total of seven people who will be charged for aiding and harboring the convicts, of which the first other three people have been arrested earlier this year following a raid at a property at Burns Peak, in Port Moresby, after their daring escape this year from Bomana Jail on May 14.”