Poor facilities force prisoners to return home

SEVEN Indonesians who illegally crossed the border into Papua New Guinea waters in Western to fish will be released to return to their country as local police facilities are inadequate to hold them.
Asst Comm of Police (ACP) border command Peter Philip told The National that the men crossed into PNG waters to search for beche-de-mer and were caught by Daru police.
He said the seven were denied bail as were 32 other illegal crossers who were caught last month.
The seven, who plead guilty to the charges, were Marawadal Keiya, Peter Linu, Amus Sokai, Albert Aikumi, Jude Yoannes, Senex Daniel and Taide Kumara.
ACP Philip said because Daru police and the Western command did not have the capacity to hold the illegal crossers, they would only be warned and released to return to Indonesia.
Their catch and boat were confiscated by authorities.
“They should be serving their terms for breaking into our country but it is unfortunate,” ACP Philip said.
“We have to release them back their country because we do not have the funding to take care of their welfare.”
He said Daru Police Station’s holding cell was over-crowded and he did not have a choice but to order the provincial commander to release them.
ACP Philip said while the men came in on a boat, they would be taken to a bush track where they could walk back to their homes.
“I have ordered Western commander to allow the police officers to take all seven back to where there is a bush track that they can go back into Indonesia,” he said.
ACP Philip said they couldn’t keep them because they did not have any funding to feed and accommodate them.