Yesterday, Kerema Town in Gulf Province came to a standstill as angry locals went on a rampage.
Police vehicles were damaged, the provincial police commander’s (PPC) house was ransacked then set alight while the provincial Electoral Commission office was looted.
The incident arose from the shooting death of a young man by a police officer on Thursday night.
Provincial police commander, Michael Pake, told Loop PNG that a response unit from the nation’s capital, temporarily based at his house, was involved in the incident.
“They were asleep when they heard noises outside so they came out to investigate,” the PPC says.
Police allege that a group of rowdy drunkards were causing nuisance out on the street when they intervened. In the process, Steven Kaka, who was a rugby player in his early 20s, was shot. Details into the shooting are yet to be verified.
However, the police boss, who was in Port Moresby during that time, directed the officers to bring the body to the Port Moresby General Hospital.
“We couldn’t leave his body at the Kerema General Hospital morgue because it is not functioning anymore,” says Pake.
“We had to get it into Port Moresby to preserve it for investigation, where it arrived yesterday (Friday) morning.”
Unfortunately, in retaliation, four police vehicles had their windows smashed, properties, including police uniforms in the PPC’s house, were stolen before the building was torched, the tally centre burnt down and EC office looted.
Relatives of Kaka, who hailed from Luluitera village near Kerema Town, are questioning the use of a firearm in a minor incident such as this.
A petition was submitted today to police. Included in the document is a demand for the unit responsible, as well as the officer, to be returned to Kerema.
Locals are threatening to block the highway from Malalaua to Kerema if their demands are not met.
Authorities have been given seven days to respond to the petition.
Meanwhile, polling is still underway in the province.
(The ransacked EC office - Pictures: Gulf Focus Group FB page)