A total of 10 police men from Mobile Squad 18 from Rabaul are in Kimbe, West New Britain Province, to help with the search of prison escapees.
West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel confirmed that 39 prisoners escaped from Lakiemata on Oct 28.
Governor Muthuvel said the lack of logistics and manpower is slowing down the search.
He told this newsroom that with the additional manpower from the Mobile Squad 18, the search of the prisoners will be done quickly.
However, West New Britain Provincial Police Commander, Superintendent John Midi, is confident most, if not all the escapees, will be recaptured soon.
He said police officers in the province are now working around the clock in efforts to recapture the 39 inmates who broke out of the Lakiemata prison on October 28.
He said 43 prisoners initially escaped but three were shot and killed by prison guards and one voluntarily surrendered himself to the authorities on Tuesday, October 31st.
PPC Midi appealed to the public and the surrounding communities to come forward and assist police and prison officers recapture the escapees.
He assured the public that the identity of anyone who provides information to police will be protected.
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