Search is still ongoing for the five criminals who scaled the Beon jail fence and escaped on the afternoon of December 18th.
Madang provincial police commander, Ben Neneo, says police and Correctional Service officers are searching for the five, who were placed on death row mid this year for the massacre of seven people in 2014.
They are part of the eight-man group that was sentenced to life in prison for hacking their victims to death over sorcery-related allegations in Ramu.
“That was the decision made by Justice David Cannings; those were the five. So we are trying our best to locate them,” stated Neneo.
“They escaped over the Gum River and into Amele, which is inaccessible by road so it’s really hard for us to try to get them now.
“But our men are still working on that.”
Madang Province has 240 police personnel while the town itself has over 100 men.
“Right now we have three Christmas operation (units) in place so the officers working in the operation are also looking for these escapees,” explained Neneo.
“These men are dangerous. They have been convicted for murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.”
The PPC fears that the escapees, who are all from Raicoast district, will create trouble if they ever get to their village.
“We appeal to the people to help us out so police can apprehend them.”
(Madang provincial police commander, Ben Neneo)