Michael Waipo

Waipo says that feedback was received from the staff as required by the investigating team.

 “That statement was incorrect and misleading. The staff were ready to respond and they gave information to the team.”

The assistant commissioner responsible and his team had actually picked up responses from staff and left with a lot of valuable information.

The team is now at the stage where they are to provide a report back to commissioner regarding their investigations with the staff at Bomana so a way forward can be established for the long run.

The investigation is led by the assistant commissioner Southern region, Chief Superintendent Henry Wavik, along with an independent body to avoid biased views.

“This is made up of people apart from CS members,” says Waipo.

Meanwhile, reports on LOAs from correctional institutions for 2017 are expected reach the commissioner’s office no later than the end of January 2018, which is according to a circular sent out earlier this month.

The 17th of February is commemorated each year by the Correctional service to pay respects of the first ever CS casualties recorded during the Bougainville crisis in the 1990’s.

“This brings us to 28 years since then. It gives me great sadness as I stand before you all to commemorate this day with the legacy of those who had gone ahead,” Waipo expressed.

Waipo said the Remembrance Day is not only for those who were killed, but also those who died pushing to better improve the institution.

This comes after the call made by Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill declaring a total ban on the prisoners leave of absence.

This came into effect on the 05th of January 2018, along with further instructions issued yesterday in a statement by Correctional Service Commissioner, Michael Waipo.

The Commissioner confirmed that the CS officers were sent to hospitals to remove and transport all prisoners and detainees back to the Bomana Correctional Institute.

The prisoners’ Leave of Absence (LOA) is guarded by the provisions of Section 101 of the Correctional Service Act which allows an inmate to take leave from the institution for any one particular reason.

This means taking a LOA for any particular needs as and when they have them, especially for medical reasons.

Correctional Service Commissioner, Michael Waipo, made this clarification in response to a media report today about convicted prisoners being seen around walking freely in the city.

“This is the stark reality that we are faced with. We have to try and make do with what we have,” Commissioner for CS, Michael Waipo, said in an interview with this newsroom.

He said there have been some instances where the institution was called into Court about human rights issues as well as trying to prepare staff adequately to address those issues to help minimise cost problems.

“Staff will need to be made aware of the issue and be prepared for it.”

This was stressed by the Commissioner for Correctional Service, Michael Waipo, during a recent interview with this newsroom.

“With that, we could easily play psychological operations in terms of having armed men visible. The visibility of a staff being in possession of a firearm in the institution will certainly have an impact on how the prisoner might want to execute his intention; whether to make a break or not.”

Additionally, specific instructions have been given to CS officers to get out there and be present on the ground.

He said the issue at hand now is funding and seeing that 2017 is almost ending, investigators will be moving in to probe the breakout situation at Kerevat next year.

Waipo said another team of investigators will also be sent to Biru prison following its recent breakout, including Buimo prison in Lae.

“Actually, we have sent a team of 11 officers over to Buimo just to support them address the manpower issue but basically they are going there to support the existing staff contain security.”

(CS Commissioner Michael Waipo)

Correctional Service Commissioner Michael Waipo said the team is ready and will head to Lae once funds are made available.

The team will be led by the deputy for cooperate affair as well as the facility operations officer.

Waipo gave the assurance that police are still working around the clock to catch the loose criminals.

Meanwhile, over 500 CS officers will soon be deployed nationwide after the launch of election security operations in Mt Hagen a week ago.

Correctional Service Commissioner, Michael Waipo said this but commended all prison officers in the country who continue to serve with pride in their respective prisons.

He said that an investigative report into Boram Prison breakout on New Years’ Day in Wewak will soon be completed.

Waipo said according to police at the time of breakout, the inmates used a pair of pliers to cut through the fence to make their escape.

He added out of the 29 inmates that broke out, two prisoners were shot dead in the process of recapturing them whilst 10 of them are still at large.