Escapees called to surrender

POLICE in East New Britain (ENB) are calling on six prisoners, part of a group of 11, who escaped from Kerevat jail last month, to surrender to police as their identities are known.
Provincial police commander Chief Insp Joseph Tabali said five prisoners had surrendered with the latest being two on Sunday and one yesterday.
Two prisoners surrendered last week, he said.
Chief Insp Tabali told The National in Kokopo yesterday that the three escapees who surrendered to police on Sunday and yesterday were Mapua Tobata, 25, Jerry Aquila, 21, both from Ialakua village, Raluana local level government, Kokopo, and Bradley Apelis, 16.
Two men were in remand while facing murder charges, he said.
The third prisoner Apelis is facing an armed robbery charge.
Apelis was handed over to police by his parents at Tokua plantation yesterday morning.
All three were charged with escaping from lawful custody.
Chief Insp Tabali said Apelis was allegedly involved in an armed robbery at Tokua earlier this year.
The five escapees who surrendered appeared before the Kokopo District Court yesterday and were sent back to remand. Chief Insp Tabali commended the combined operations involving the Kokopo police response unit, mobile squad 17 and Kerevat jail officers.
“I am appealing to these remaining six escapees, who are on the run, to do what these five did and surrender to police as your identities are known to us.”