An alleged rape victim says the operator of the Manus Island immigration detention centre has promised three former Wilson Security guards will be flown back from Australia to face questioning by Papua New Guinea police.



The father of the woman and supporters from her community armed themselves with machetes and hijacked a 25-seater bus and a three-tonne truck belonging to the detention centre on Monday, angry that the three men had not faced justice.



The woman at the centre of the allegations, Sarah*, told Guardian Australia her family had been promised the men would be returned to the island. A meeting brokered on Tuesday involved Sarah’s family and community, Transfield, immigration, and police representatives.

“That was what was said: that these guys were coming to come back to be questioned,” she said.



“I want justice to run its course, that’s all we’ve ever wanted. We’ve been running around in circles for months, but if they come back, and I can get some answers about what happened to me, then I’m happy with that.”

The detention centre guards, who were stood down and sent back to Australia after the alleged incident in mid-July, worked for Wilson Security, a subcontractor to the detention centre manager, Transfield Services.

Speaking out for the first time last week, the woman at the centre of the incident, who worked for Transfield, told Guardian Australia the men should be brought back to face justice.

“I told Transfield management … ‘If the guys were here, this could have been solved a long time ago,’ ” she said. “They have the answers I want to know. This would have already been fixed.

“But once you start hiding people and sending them away, what are you covering up for?”

It is alleged that while at after-work drinks on 15 July the woman was drugged and then possibly assaulted. She was found, naked and disoriented, the next morning in the Wilson Security accommodation block.

The men alleged to have been with her, and supplied the drug, were flown off the island that morning.

Papua New Guinea police have demanded the men be returned and confirmed they were investigating “attempted rape, indecent exposure, and sexual assault”.

Rape can carry the death penalty in Papua New Guinea, but in practice the country has a de facto moratorium on capital punishment; there have been no executions in the country since 1954 when it was still an Australian protectorate.



Manus MP Ron Knight, who has been in regular contact with the woman’s family, said her father and community leaders met on Tuesday with the management of Transfield Services, which runs the detention centre on contract from the Australian government.

Knight said the company had promised to fly the guards back to Manus by next week.



But Knight said the woman’s family did not have any commitment in writing and he was doubtful the men would be returned.

“I don’t believe it will happen,” he told Guardian Australia. “I’ll believe it when I see these men at Lorengau police station being questioned.

“I think they are just trying to buy time. They have done this before.”



Calls to Transfield Services by Guardian Australia have not been returned.

A spokesman for Australia’s immigration department said: “This [vehicle] incident is a matter for the Manus provincial police.”

Port Moresby officially took over the investigation into the alleged rape after Manus Island police threatened to storm the detention centre and arrest managers for perverting the course of justice unless the trio was returned.



It’s unlikely that either Transfield or Wilson’s would be able to compel the men to return. The three men no longer work for Wilson Security.

Further comment is being sought from Transfield, Wilson Security and the immigration minister, Peter Dutton.



A spokesperson for the immigration department said the government was cooperating fully with local authorities on the matter and would continue to do so.

* Sarah’s name has been changed