Wamena – The Cartenz-2025 Peace Operation Task Force is conducting an intensive pursuit of six prisoners who escaped from the Wamena Class IIB Correctional Institution (Lapas) on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. One of the escapees was Penihas Heluka aka Kopi Tua Heluka, who named himself the Operation Commander and Commander of the Yamue Kodap XVI Yahukimo Battalion.
Head of Peace Operation Cartenz-2025, Police Brigadier General Dr. Faizal Ramadhani, S.Sos., S.I.K., M.H. accompanied by the Deputy Head of the Damai Cartenz Ops Task Force 2025 Police Commissioner Adarma Sinaga, S.I.K., M.Hum. confirmed that his party will not give room to armed criminal groups (KKB) and will continue to hunt down the fugitives until they are caught.
“We are committed to maintaining peace and providing a sense of security for the community. We will continue to intensify the pursuit of escaped prisoners,” said Police Brigadier General Faizal.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Public Relations Task Force Ops Damai Cartenz-2025, Police Commissioner Yusuf Sutejo, S.I.K., M.T., urged the public to remain calm and vigilant.
“We invite the public to play an active role in keeping the situation conducive and immediately report to the security forces if they know information related to the whereabouts of the escapees,” said Police Commissioner Yusuf.
This escape incident began at 15.00 WIT, when the prisoners got time to do activities in the area inside the Wamena Class IIB Prison field. Around 15.09 WIT, in the middle of heavy rain, seven prisoners broke through the first fence on the left side of the prison using cutting pliers, then escaped by climbing the second fence using a one-meter long rope tied to a barbed wire. One of the seven prisoners was successfully secured by prison officers, while the other six managed to escape.
Penihas Heluka, one of the escapees, was previously arrested on May 19, 2023 by the Gakkum Ops Damai Cartenz Task Force for his involvement in a series of criminal acts, including the murder of security forces. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison on February 7, 2024 and only served a year of detention before escaping.
The Damai Cartenz-2025 Ops Task Force is working together with the Prison and the local police to conduct further investigations related to this incident and ensure that the escapees are immediately caught to maintain security and order in the Wamena area and its surroundings.
