The West New Britain province faces another daunting law and order predicament as 24 prisoners dashed for freedom from the provincial Lakiemata jail.
Unfortunately 16 out of 24 were shot by prison warders and died.
Correctional Service Commissioner Stephen Pokanis has confirmed the incident with NBC Current Issues.
He said a team from the headquarters in Port Moresby will head to Kimbe to investigate without detailing the terms of reference.
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| PNG Correctional Service headquarters, Hohola, Port Moresby |
The prisoners escaped from the Maximum Security Unit holding cells.
When queried if prison warders can shoot an escapee, Pokanis said if prisoners failed to stop after warning shots were fired they can be shot.
Provincial Police Commander Superintendent Peter Baki says police homicide squad will also do their investigations after the CS has done their internal investigations.
The police investigations will be aimed at providing information during a coronial inquest.
Superintendent Baki, a local from the province who recently transferred to the province from Milne Bay has appealed to everyone to allow due process to take its course.
The province has reported many crime incidents recently ranging from armed hold ups in the main towns to murders of Chinese nationals at logging camps.
Following the latest killings of 16 prisoners public has echoed calls for a state of emergency to be declared and law and order restored.
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