Prisoner who bolted from brother's funeral caught after months on the run
Orijol Rukaj was in handcuffs when he fled the funeral in Melbourne after helping to carry the casket. Seven months later, he's been found almost 3,800km away.
A prisoner who escaped custody while attending his brother's funeral in Melbourne's north-west seven months ago has been arrested in Far North Queensland.
Orijol Rukaj, 47, was on remand at Marngoneet Correctional Centre, near Geelong, when he was escorted to Keilor Cemetery on April 25.
Despite wearing handcuffs and helping carry the casket, Rukaj was able to escape from the service.
Police said there was about 300 people at the funeral.
After almost seven months on the run, Rukaj was arrested in Bamaga, near Cape York, on Friday.
Police said he was in custody and Queensland and would be interviewed in the coming days.
Police will seek to extradite him back to Victoria.
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