A reserve constable who escaped custody from the Wewak National Court precinct in June, right after he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, has been apprehended.
Stanley Moui Jombu of Passam, East Sepik Province, was apprehended in Maprik last week after being on the run since June 20.
Unfortunately, Wewak Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector Peter Philips, said four others who also escaped that day are still at large.
They are Robin Weibi of Tomonoum Village, Nuku, Sandaun Province, Timon Kangapu of Hirae Village, Kopiago, Hela Province, and Nigel Tianguma Harvey of Mikarew area, Bogia, Madang Province.
Four of those five men were convicted on May 12 over the rape of a 17-year-old girl from Kwanumbo Village, Boikin, East Sepik Province, on 7 December 2013. They were given 20 years in prison while former Wewak police station commander Sakawar Kasieng, from Nuku, West Sepik, was given seven years in prison for arson.
The court found that he failed to control the raid that day, which was to capture a number of prison escapees, including the rape victim’s father.
The operation instead resulted in homes being burnt and the rape of the girl.
While the four prisoners remain at large and police continue their investigations, the former Chief Inspector has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against his sentence.