Families scared to visit inmates as highway robberies increase

Relatives and friends of inmates at Madang’s Beon jail are reluctant to visit because they are being robbed on the way there.
The robberies are taking place along the Sisiak-Beon road.
Inmate Manu Mal said the robberies are discouraging their relatives and friends from visiting.
“Where will you go if police catch you?” Mal said, referring to the robbers.
“You will come to Beon and your relatives will come visit you here so stop harassing and robbing our visitors.”
Rascals are taking advantage of the bad road condition to rob people in motor vehicles.
Furan village leader Mark Naion said villagers from Furan, Panim, Yahil and Brahim had been victims of robberies on that road for years.
“Our people have been attacked and robbed along this road for many years,” he said.
“This road needed full rehabilitation so that vehicles can
speed up to prevent hold-ups and attacks.
“We have Water PNG’s treatment plant and the Beon Correction centre so we need a better road.
“This road was maintained 20 years ago by Governor Peter Yama when he was the Works minister in 1995 and since then nothing has been done.”