hanuabada shooting

Police continue search for HB shooter

The assistant police commissioner of crimes Victor Isouve says the policeman is being pursued by investigators on two counts of wilful murder and two counts of grievous bodily harm.

Isouve tells Loop PNG that the policeman who has gone underground is being called on to voluntarily surrender himself to the police so that due process of investigations can commence.

He adds that the man, while innocent until proven guilty, must come forward and face the charges against him.

Police hunt continues for HB Shooter

Police investigators tell PNG Loop that the constable has gone into hiding with police now launching a country wide alert to bring in the man.

Assistant police commissioner crimes Victor Isouve says that police have established a strong evidence based case based on them tracing the weapon that was in the possession of the NCD-based Constable.

The constable when apprehended will be charged with two counts of wilful murder and two counts of grievous bodily harm.

Police identify Hanuabada shooter

Police investigators have traced the weapon to be in the possession of an NCD-based Constable (named) who has since gone into hiding.

Investigators have also uncovered that the suspect used the weapon which he got on loan from a member of the Central Province police.

Assistant Police Commissioner Crimes, Victor Isouve informed  PNG Loop exclusively that a man hunt is now under way for the officer.

Isouve confirms that the constable when apprehended will be charged with two counts of wilful murder and two counts of grievous bodily harm.

HB Update: Cop suspended for not handing in weapons

Chief Inspector Maria Jones failed to comply with instructions to surrender some weapons for ballistic tests in the Hanuabada double killing investigations.

NCD Central police commander Sylvester Kalaut says that the weapons were determined to be the ones identified by investigators.

Kalaut would not say just how many weapons were to be brought in but says instructions were issued and Jones was tasked to surrender the weapons which she failed to do.

He says Jones was identified as one of the officers on the scene at the time of the shooting.

HB Shooting: Police happy to meet with relatives

Lead investigator Moses Ibsagi told PNG Loop his office is always open to the villagers to come in and seek an audience with him.

This follows reports by PNG Loop of an ultimatum issued by Lohia Boe Samuel from the Motu Koitabu the Way Forward (MKTWF).

Lohia said they will demand a timeline from police to see arrests or resort to setting up roadblocks.

Samuel said it has taken too long for arrests to be made and families need closure.

Nil arrests is disappointing – Lohia on Hanuabada killings

Hanuabada is a stone’s throw away from the PNG police headquarters at Konedobu. The headquarters sits on traditional land ironically owned by Hanuabada.

12 months, the widow of one of the deceased and the parents of the other – have no closure.

No one has been arrested in relation to the deaths of Nicholas Rarua and Toka Gaudi.

“It is rather sad and disappointing that after so many commitments and promises of imminent arrest, we find ourselves with no arrest.”

That’s from Lohia Boe Samuel, who heads the group Motu Koitabu the Way Forward (MKTWF).

Hanuabada shooting: Another police weapon found

NCD Metropolitan police commander Ben Turi tells PNG Loop that the gun was taken from a policeman who was part of the group of police that were on site at the time of the shooting incidents.

Turi says that the policeman, a constable based in Port Moresby, was brought in for a charge of unlawful use of a stolen vehicle but was asked to surrender his weapon to police as well.

Initially Turi says that the constable lied that he did not have his weapon  however on Wednesday after  further questioning by Mr Turi, he handed over the weapon which is now in police custody.

HB shooting update: Investigators move into village

Acting Director of Crimes Moses Ibsagi tells PNG Loop that he and his team went into the village on Saturday in light of the bullet casing shells that were handed to them by a villager.

He says that they managed to talk with the female villager who handed over the evidence and to speak with the youth who initially picked up the evidence.

Director Ibsagi says that while they were supposed to go back yesterday (Monday 26th October) the men were pulled out to provide support to handling  the tensions at Unagi Oval and the public protests.

Villagers call on city leaders to explain graves dilemma

They were not consultative as was alluded to earlier this week by officials of the National Capital District Commission.

Cr David Davai  of the Elevala, Lahara area says that as the mandated leader he was very concerned at the way the consultations had been managed between the developers and the customary landowners.

In a media briefing today, councillors and villager leaders met with reporters at the cemetery lot opposite the Hagara Primary School to voice concerns over this issue.

Hanuabadans cry foul

Villager councillor David Davai tells Loop PNG that four graves were dug up from the site opposite Haraga Primary School yesterday against the wishes of their families.

Davai says that this is a bullying tactic that is being used by the National Capital District Commission officials and contractors.

A shocked Davai says  that some of the family members did not even know that the graves of their loved ones were being dug up.

He says that this is sacrilegious and shows no respect for the custom of the dead in the area.