Officer convicted of rape, arson arrested after escaping

The National Momase

A police officer has been arrested after escaping from the Wewak National Court straight after being convicted for raping a 17-year-old girl and burning down houses in East Sepik, Border Divisional Commander Assistant Commissioner Donald Yamasombi says.
“Timon Kangapu, 33, from Irane village, Lake Kopiago, Hela,  was arrested in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands, last week after escaping from  the Wewak National Court house on June 20 with three other officers. They had escaped while awaiting transportation to the Boram prison.
Kangapu is the second officer apprehended while two others who were also convicted, they are still at large.
Yamasombi said Kangapu was arrested after police were tipped off on his movements.
“He will be charged with escaping from lawful custody and will be transported back to Wewak.”
The other officers still at large are Nigel Tianguma Harvey, 28, from Mikarew village, Bogia, Madang, and, Robin Weibi, 31, from Tomonoum village, Nuku, West Sepik.
“We know where they are and want them to surrender voluntarily,” Yamasombi said.
He said that Constable Stanley Moui Jombu, 28, from Passam, Wewak, East Sepik, was the first officer to be arrested and was now in Boram prison.
“The police officers and PNG Correctional Services officers who were at the court house when they escaped will also be investigated.”
Yamasombi said that they had escaped straight after receiving their sentences after mingling with their relatives among the crowd.
The seven warders who were there to take them to the Boram jail were unable to do anything.
These four were convicted for a total of 80 years by Justice George Manuhu for rape during a police raid at Kwanubo village in East Sepik on Dec 7, 2013.
Former Wewak police station Commander Sakawar Kasieng, 57, from Nuku, West Sepik was also sentenced to more than six years for arson.
Manuhu ruled that Kasieng, as the commanding officer in charge of the raid, failed to stop Jombu, Harvey, Kangapu and Weibi from burning down homes at the village.