Warders’ row ends with 31 inmates walking free

National

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
POLICE in Buka are trying to restore order at the Beikut prison after 31 inmates were allegedly released by a warder following a row with a colleague.
North Bougainville regional police commander Inspector Kingsley Lua the two warders had an argument over a vehicle.
Lua said one of them claimed that he was assaulted by his colleague who was from the area.
“So the officer who claimed to have been assaulted let the 31 inmates walk out,” he said.
He said there was a claim that officers who hailed from the area usually assaulted officers who came from outside.
Lua said the prisoners later came back to the police station and told police to take them back to prison.
“They went away to different parts of the province and then decided to come back and surrender themselves to police,” he said.
He said all of them were back in prison.
Lua said the relatives of the warder who claimed to have been assaulted blocked the Buka highway.
Buka police are trying to restore order among the prison officers and prisoners.
“We might also be charging the officer who was alleged tohave instigate the fight once investigations are completed,” Lua said.