Police said the curfew would last a month, following a meeting of the Provincial Law and Order Committee which passed a resolution to counter current tensions between police and criminals in the wake of the death of Baker on December 2.

 

Provincial police commander superintendent Peter Barkie said the curfew would be effective between midnight and 5am in Alotau and for areas outside the city, the curfew starts at 10pm and ends at 5am.

 

Baker and his gang had been on the run since 2013 and are accused of killing five people, including three police officers, conducting a string of robberies and burning down two police barracks and a magistrate's house in Alotau. Baker escaped police custody twice.