Papua New Guinea police say one of the men charged over the death of an Iranian asylum seeker on Manus Island tried to fake his own death to evade capture.
28-year-old Joshua Kavulia was charged on Monday over the murder of Reza Barati, who was allegedly beaten to death inside the Australian run asylum seeker processing centre in February.
The police arrested and charged 28-year-old Louie Efi over Mr Barati's death last month, but kept the arrest quiet until Monday when they announced they had charged Mr Kavulia.
Inspector David Terry says Joshua Kavulia led them on a five-month chase from Manus Island.
"Joshua is alleged to have faked his own death, he told people acquainted to him that if the police come around tell them this particular person they are looking for is deceased. Now that plot didn't work and the police investigators put the police radar on him and eventually caught up with him in Kimbe.
David Terry.
The police are now looking for three more suspects - a PNG man and two foreigners, whose nationalities have not yet been confirmed by police.
