Arabic version: اعتقال هارب من جنازة في ملبورن قرب كيب يورك

According to ABC News, 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 arrested in Bamaga, near Cape York, on Friday after almost seven months on the run. Police said he was in custody in Queensland and would be interviewed in the coming days.

Rukaj had been on remand at Marngoneet Correctional Centre, near Geelong, when he was escorted to Keilor Cemetery on April 25 for the funeral.

He was wearing handcuffs and was helping carry the casket as a pallbearer when he escaped from the service. Police said about 300 people attended the funeral.

Police will seek to extradite Rukaj back to Victoria.