Roads blocked to catch escapees

 POLICE in Eastern Highlands are mounting random roadblocks at strategic locations along the Highlands Highway to captured escapees from Morobe’s Buimo Jail, provincial police commander Superintendent Alex N’Drasal said.

He said he issued a special order for random police checks between Kassam Pass that borders Eastern Highlands and Morobe and Mangiro that separates Eastern Highlands from Chimbu.

N’Drasal said some of the escapees were in Eastern Highlands already and were suspected of hiding in a village in Okapa district. He said his men would check the area. “Police in Yonki, Kainantu, Aiyura, Henganofi, Goroka and Asaro were instructed to set up roadblocks and check all Public Motor Vehicles (PMVs) and private vehicles for the escapees.”

N’Drasal warned PMVs and motorists transporting escapees into the Highlands that their vehicles would be impounded and drivers and owners arrested and charged with harbouring the escapees.

He called on the public in the province to report to police of any suspicious activity, or persons related to the Buimo break-out.

“Anyone in the province found harbouring escapees from Morobe will be arrested and charged with harbouring escaped prisoners.”

Some 90 prisoners escaped from Buimo Jail outside Lae on Feb 25.