Eleven inmates breakout of Manus prison

A total of 11 inmates at Manus Correctional Services dashed for freedom on Monday night after cutting the iron bar of their cell block.

Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector David Yapu said the incident occurred at about 9:26 pm that saw a total of nine prisoners, eight remands and one convicted prisoner cut the iron bar in the cell in the compound where the toilet was located, came out through the window, climbed up the fence, removed the razor wire and jumped down on the ground and escaped by foot to Wamundu settlement.

He said two other convicted prisoners had earlier escaped on Sunday April 18 by crawling under the fence, climbed through the shipping container at rear, jumped over the outer perimeter fence and made their escape.

This brought the total of 11 prisoners had escaped from CS. On Monday April 19, one of the convicted prisoners that escaped on Sunday surrendered to CS Authorities with the assistance of his family members and Community leaders of Cancer hill, upper ward 6, Lorengau town.

Out of the 11 prisoners that escaped, seven were charged with willful murder and one was serving sentence of 17 years, 11 months in hard labour whilst the six were remanded in custody, awaiting their National Court trials.

The others were charged with Armed Robbery and Break Enter and Stealing.

PPC Yapu said those escapees are high risk and dangerous to the community and appealed to the community to assist and report them to Police or CS or have them surrender.

He said anyone harboring them will be charged with Harboring.

“We must all work together to bring them back to where they are supposed to be at CS Manus to serve their time.”

Mr Yapu said he had contacted the families and relatives of those escapees to assist and bring them to Police.

He has also gone through local NBC Radio to assist with disseminating the information to the General Public to be aware of them and they were considered dangerous to the community.

The recaptured prisoner Andree Robin has been charged for escape from CS Custody and awaiting his court appearance.

Meantime, Mr Yapu said combined Police and CS Operation are underway to search for the escapees on the run.

The escapees are Charles Ndreyeh, Masang Silon, Palou Mai, Bill Mai, Gordon Bill, Jasper Kanas, Samson William, Paul Malakai, Leeroy Passingan and Kevin Mirimbe.