Reports from Papua New Guinea say more than 350,000 US dollars was spent by the Correctional Services to hunt down a high profile bank robber, William Kapris, and a fellow prison escapee, Raphael Walimini.
Kapris and his accomplice were shot and killed on Monday about 45 kilometres outside of Port Moresby after being on the run since breaking out of the Bomana High Security Prison in mid-May.
The newspaper, The National, reports the Correctional Services Minister, Jim Simitab, as saying it was an over-expenditure that would seriously affect the implementation of other corrections programmes this year.
However, Mr Simatab says the manhunt has necessitated an improved prison security infrastructure.
He says his department will also adopt better training for all staff to enhance the technical and mental capacity to deal with different categories of detainees.
