More than 170 inmates in a Papua New Guinea jail have been without food for several days after the company contracted to supply them with food cancelled its services.
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The Post Courier Newspaper reported concerned guards at the Baisu jail in Mt Hagen had used their own money to buy food for inmates from the local market.
Baisu jail commander Timbi Kaugla told the paper the supplier, Whisky Fresh, stopped bringing food on Friday, February 17, forcing the jail to use its own funds to buy a little bit of food for the prisoners but he said these funds ran out on Monday.
Papua New Guinea's Correctional Services Commissioner Michael Waipo had yet to comment on the situation and his media unit said they had not been briefed about the Basiu Jail food shortage.
The managing director of Whisky Fresh, Berry Maip, told the paper he stopped supplying the jail because his company has not been paid since December and he ran out of funds to keep the service going.
Mr Maip urged corrections authorities to take the matter seriously.
