Police questions woman’s action

 A WOMAN is being questioned by police over allegations she harboured her convicted husband after he escaped from police custody.

She was arrested last Saturday by police in Kiunga, Western. 

The husband, Oklay Wom, was jailed for one year, 10 months and 21 days on June 26 for discharging a firearm in public, being in possession of an unlicensed firearm and threatening people. 

He is from Kwepe village, Ningerum, North Fly.

On Sept 23, he complained to prison authorities at Ningerum that he was sick. He escaped while they were taking him to the Ningerum Health Centre to receive medical treatment.

Western provincial police commander Insp Silva Sika said he had been on the run since.

Police got a tip off on Saturday that he was at his village and threatening people.

“We arrived at the village, about 47km outside Kiunga town, but he had fled,” he said. 

“When we returned to the village, he had already come back to collect clothes from his parent’s house and fled again. 

“So we detained the wife and brought her to the Kiunga police station. We have asked his mother to urge him to surrender or police will charge his mother with harbouring him.”

Insp Sika said they gave the mother until 10pm yesterday to bring him to police.

Insp Sika said Wom was classified as a very high-risk prisoner and was a threat to the public.

“I appeal for the community in his village to cooperate with police to apprehend the suspect as he has a history of being a threat to the public.”