Transcript
Police in Papua New Guinea's Madang province are on high alert as the manhunt widens for more than 40 escapees still at large after last week's mass prison break in neighbouring Morobe province.
Latest reports from the Post Courier Newspaper say that more than 90 prisoners escaped last Friday from Buimo prison in Lae after they overpowered three guards who were manning the main gate at the time.
Twelve prisoners were shot dead by prison guards during the escape and a further 30 are understood to have since been recaptured.
The police commander for Madang province, Jacob Singura, told Koroi Hawkins he has increased surveillance at the Tapo quarantine checkpoint on the Ramu Highway and random searches are being conducted on vehicles going in and out of the province.
JACOB SINGURA: I have briefed all my officers to especially pay close attention at the main road checkpoint. That is the link by road from Lae and the Highlands provinces and Madang and out of Madang which is at Tapo. And at the same time just to be curious as to the type of person moving in and out of town generally in Madang.
KOROI HAWKINS: And your men are they conducting vehicle to vehicle searches or is it just a general look out on traffic coming through the checkpoint you mentioned?
JS: Our focus is, especially at our checkpoint is to you know, search every passenger that is in the vehicle passing through.
KH: You mentioned this on top of concerns of increased lawlessness or criminal activity in the region is that part of your concern?
JS: Yeah you know when we have such people out that is our greatest fear you know they would be, would expect increase in criminal activities because these are criminals coming out so their intentions and their behaviour would be to rob to survive and all sorts of crimes associated with such people who have this background. So that is our fear.