A breakthrough has been made in the Hanuabada shooting case.
Police investigators have confirmed with Loop PNG that an empty bullet shell found near the site of the shooting has matched a weapon currently in police custody.
Director of crimes Moses Ibsagi says the 10 bullet shells handed over to the investigators at the start of the case on October 22, 2015, has been linked to a gun.
Ibsagi explains that the empty 5.56mm bullet shells were given in by a villager when the investigators went into the village to reopen the case.
The identity of the policeman is known to investigators with Ibsagi saying that an arrest is imminent but not anytime soon, as investigators need to tie up all evidence before suspects are picked up.
At this point in time, Ibsagi says the forensic officers are working to link the shell to the projectile from the weapon tested.
Meantime, the gun was handed over by the NCD Metropolitan police commander Ben Turi which was linked to another case where the suspected officer involved was instructed to hand over his K1A1 police issued weapon.