Officer killed in breakout

By MARJORIE FINKEO, PISAI GUMAR and HEZRON KISING

PAPUA New Guinea (PNG)’s first mass prison breakout in 2020 occurred in Lae that saw a prison warden and an inmate getting killed yesterday.
Correctional Services (CS) wardens, police and Igam’s PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) have launched a joint-manhunt for the 17 fugitives after having shot dead one of the escapees.
Papua New Guinea Correctional Service (CS) Commissioner Stephen Pokanis told The National that the breakout occurred between 10am and 10.30am during the visiting hour.
Pokanis said details of the warden could not be released immediately and that he would be leading an investigation team to Lae today.
Buimo acting commander Supt Fidelis Kaski said it was a mass breakout of 17 wet kots (remandees) but any information on the breakout should come from Pokanis.
Northern police Asst Comm Felix Namane, who is also overseeing the Southern region, told The National that the incident report on hand was brief.
ACP Namane said he could not disclose any information until investigations into the cause of the breakout was completed.
He also asked the media to get more information from Pokanis.
Pokanis said CS would conduct internal investigations into the breakout while police would carry out an independent investigation to establish the cause of the breakout.
“As the fugitives fled in different directions, a probationary CS warden and a remandee were killed.
“The cause of both deaths, weapons used the identities of the dead are not ready for release,” he said.
He urged Lae citizens and nearby districts to help police, CS and PNGDF by reporting sightings of suspicious-looking people.
The warden killed in the breakout was among the 12 probationary men posted to Buimo two years ago.
Last night, Lae Met Supt Chief Insp Chris Kunyanban confirmed that the dead inmate was David Naiya (nickname ‘Flethet’), 25, from Kasanga, Finschhafen, Morobe and Pak Island, Rapatona, Manus.
Naiya was sentenced to 35 years with hard labour last year for the murder of Angau Memorial Hospital doctor Alphonse Rongap.