Top cop blames prisons for escapes

 THE recent breakout of nearly 100 prisoners from Madang and Lae prisons has put police under more pressure, says acting Mamose police boss Chief Supt Nema Mondiai.

He said police were already stretched to the limit and the escapes had overloaded their work.

He said that with limited resources and logistics, the breakout had added to their problems. 

“We, in fact, have a mammoth task to recapture those escapees,” Mondiai said in a statement. 

“Although the escapes were not related, to recapture these escapees is a daunting task for police.”

Forty-nine prisoners walked out of Madang’s Beon facility and 44 escaped from Buimo jail in Lae. 

Police said nine from Beon had been recaptured while 40 were still at large. 

In Lae, 19 had been recaptured, one died and 25 are still at large. In total, 65 are still at large.

Mondiai blamed prison officers for failing to ensure that the prisoners were locked up safely. He said police had worked hard to bring offenders to justice only to see them escape.

Mondiai called on prison authorities to discipline the officers responsible for the breakouts.

He called on the people to help recapture the escapees. 

 He said the escapees posed a major threat to members of the public. 

The escapees are believed to have moved out of Madang and Morobe and living in other provinces.