29 Aug 2003

Assistance Mission urges escaped murder suspect to hand himself in

10:14 am on 29 August 2003

The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands is calling on Edmund Sae, the former police sergeant suspected of killing former police commissioner, Sir Frederick Soaki, to show courage and surrender.

Sae is accused of gunning down Sir Frederick in a restaurant in Auki on Malaita in February, just as a process to demobilize special constables was to begin.

He was captured but later escaped from Honiara's jail, and has been on the run for several months.

The RAMSI head, Nick Warner, says they have been making overtures for several weeks to encourage him to walk into the Auki police station and surrender.

He says they would like him to display some courage and do what Harold Keke did.

The acting police commissioner Ben McDevitt says they have told Sae that RAMSI can guarantee his safety if he surrenders to them.