Police in Manus have arrested their own colleague for aiding in the escape of a convicted prisoner from the police cells on the 27th of September.
Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said 27-year-old police woman, Sharon Wamuni, from Numangua village, Ambunti in East Sepik, was arrested and charged for aiding the prisoner.
PPC Yapu said the officer was on duty from 8am - 4pm, where she went to the police cells and unlocked the cell block. She let Job Pobress come out of the cells to fetch water when he took advantage of the situation and fled.
Pobress was recently convicted by the National Court for armed robbery, where he was sentenced to 5 years and two months in hard labour and was awaiting his escort to CS to serve his sentence.
PPC Yapu said after the incident, the officer failed to notify the authorities of the escape until the matter came to light, where PPC Yapu directed for an investigation that led to her arrest.
She has been suspended from duty for 21 days and will appear in the Lorengau Committal Court today (October 5th).
Yapu further said most escapes from police custody are facilitated by their own officers. He warned his officers to carry out their duties with integrity and honesty at all times and enforce the law without fear or favour.