“This government will not tolerate or harbour any citizen who has been proven to have committed a crime and charged in another country, and has returned home to hide from the consequences of their actions,” he said. Keven Appo, 25, is a Papua New Guinean rugby league player who had been with the Bradford Bulls […]
“This government will not tolerate or harbour any citizen who has been proven to have committed a crime and charged in another country, and has returned home to hide from the consequences of their actions,” he said. Keven Appo, 25, is a Papua New Guinean rugby league player who had been with the Bradford Bulls in Britain’s second tier.
The Bradford Bulls cancelled Appo’s playing contract following the charges, the club said this week. Papua New Guinea’s top diplomat said Wednesday authorities are working to extradite a rugby player who reportedly fled Britain after being charged with rape and assault but they are yet to receive a formal request. Papua New Guinea is working with the British High Commission and UK authorities to extradite Appo, foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko said in a statement. An extradition request was yet to be made, Tkatchenko added. Appo played professional rugby league with the PNG Hunters before joining the Bradford Bulls in 2022. “Given the circumstances, the club is duty bound to make no further comment at this stage,” a spokesperson said. He was due to face court on Monday charged with the rape and sexual assault of a woman, and an additional two counts of assault. He represented Papua New Guinea in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England. But hours after Appo was granted conditional bail on November 26 he boarded a plane at Manchester Airport and returned to his home country, the BBC reported. lec/pst
