Proper burial for escapees

 By JUNIOR UKAHA

THE Correctional Services (CS) will repatriate the bodies of escapees killed during last Thursday’s mass prison break at Buimo Jail in Lae, Acting Commissioner Bernard Nepo says.

Nepo, who was promoted to head the CS recently, said the 12 dead escapees were State prisoners, therefore the Government was responsible for their funeral expenses. 

More than 80 inmates made a dash for freedom at about 2pm last Thursday after over-powering three duty warders.

Twelve were shot dead, 18 were wounded and recaptured and more than 50 are still at large. 

“My deputy commissioner operations and executive officer are in Lae,” Nepo said.

“They will talk to the officers to address the issue and also repatriate the bodies of those (prisoners) who have been killed (during the mass escape),” Nepo said.

“They (deceased) are State prisoners so it is our responsibility to pay for their funeral expenses. That includes buying their coffins and repatriating their bodies to their home provinces.”

Nepo sympathised with the relatives of the dead prisoners, saying it was “unfortunate” that such an incident happened but the situation was beyond the control of the CS management.

“Had they stayed in the prison none of this would have happened,” Nepo said.

“They escaped the prison premise, that’s why they got shot.”

Nepo said a report on the incident would be presented to his office by a team of officers from Correctional Services headquarters in Port Moresby who are currently in Lae.

Nepo said he would peruse the report and forward it to the Government, which will then ensure that remedial actions are taken to address some of the issues identified.