A prisoner who allegedly escaped custody while attending a funeral in Melbourne six months ago has been tracked down and arrested in Queensland.
Orijol Rukaj, 47, was last seen while attending a funeral at a cemetery in Keilor East on Saturday April 25 at about 1.30pm.
At the time, the prisoner was at the Keilor East cemetery on a supervised visit after being granted temporary release to attend the funeral.
However, he allegedly managed to leave the cemetery undetected before vanishing.
A six-month search for the absconded man commenced, with officers frantically searching for the escaped prisoner.
“Over the past six months, police have been actively searching for Rukaj however there had been no confirmed sightings since the funeral,” a police statement read.
On June 9, officers visited 20 homes across Melbourne in search for the man, and making further inquiries with his associates.
On Friday November 13, Queensland Police allegedly found the absconded prisoner, arresting the 47-year-old in Bamaga near Cape York.
“Rukaj is currently in custody in Queensland and will be interviewed by Victoria Police Fugitive Squad detectives in the coming days when they will seek extradition,” the statement read.