Laimo Asi

A vehicle crashed head on with a PMV truck, Sunamist that was travelling to Rigo, Central Province.

Reports stated that the truck hit the smaller vehicle while it was trying to avoid a pothole.

According to the driver of the Camry, he was rushing his wife to the hospital when he tried to avoid the larger truck.

Unfortunately, he turned too late, resulting in the truck crashing into them.

Asi said this accident was avoidable, if the drivers of both vehicles had been careful.

Speaking this week from the one day polling in Babaka village, Asi reported: “We began on Saturday morning, deploying men to the different districts. People are being orderly and going to cast their votes. So far so good.

“I would encourage people to go to their polling places and vote. We won’t allow people to intimidate or influence or bribe voters. The people must exercise their democratic right and vote for the candidate of their choice,” said Asi.

Central Provincial Police Commander, Laimo Asi, confirmed the incident took place on Monday this week. Asi said the officer is currently locked up at the Kwikila police station.

“I instructed my officers to go down and process him today.

“If we cannot observe the law, then we have a problem. Election officers and security personnel are supposed to manage this election. For him to be found drunk is the last thing we want,” stated PPC Asi.

“Central Province has a liquor ban and for an election official to be engaged in this is totally uncalled for.”

Central province  police commander Laimo Asi says that this is part of the polling period security operations in the province.

PPC Asi says that there will also be road blocks set up at strategic locations along the highways into the province to control the ferrying of liquor.

He adds that all the liquor outlets will be closely monitored by the police personnel on election duty and warned people to observe the liquor ban in place.

The liquor ban will come into effect as of 6pm this Friday June 23^rd.

Councilor Gavena John Leta, age 36, from Bokuku village, was alleged to have committed the offence during Sir Puka Temu’s rally on June 12.

Central police commander Laimo Asi says police report that whilst in Upulima, Leta removed the firearm (pistol) and tried to discharge it whilst the current member for Abau was talking during his rally.

He was formally arrested and charged for 3 counts relating to firearm and locked at Boroko cells late Tuesday afternoon (at around 5pm).

Central Provincial Police Commander, Laimo Asi, said the Central police staff had previously been using an old building at downtown Port Moresby, whilst the rest was scattered all over the city.

Asi said to bring together and house everyone in one building is the way forward for the police of Central Province.

He thanked the Australian Federal Police for their support in providing the much-needed funding to have these buildings renovated in time for the elections.

Central Provincial Police Commander, Laimo Asi, said this during the briefing of the operations order for Central Police Command.

He said the main highlight of this operation is to help the Electoral Commission conduct a free, fair, safe election exercise.

Asi said Central Police has already carried out the first two phases of the election operation, which is awareness and utilisation.

“We are prepared now to carry out the next phase, which is the security and polling followed by the last phase of counting.”

Provincial Police Commander Laimo Asi said the suspect, from Tapini, had escaped from police custody earlier this year for murdering his wife, and was hiding in the house.

“Just as well we conducted the unexpected raid and caught them off guard,” stated the PPC.

Police also arrested a man for possessing an unlicensed firearm.

They attained a search warrant to search the offender’s home and the firearm was confiscated.

Meanwhile, Asi said the election operations are progressing well and will continue into the polling period.

According to police reports, 22-year-old Tommy Thomas, from a mixed parentage of Goroka and Buka, allegedly attacked the girl when she was walking home from school on Thursday, 17 May, at 14-Mile, outside the nation’s capital.

Central police commander, Laimo Asi, told Loop PNG that the suspect, in a face mask and armed with a knife, attacked the girl from behind.

“He stabbed her twice but she blocked him off. Another youth, who happened to be nearby, heard the cry from the victim and disturbed the suspect, who fled into hiding.”

Central Police Commander Laimo Asi said the directive to stop buyers travelling into the area will help deal with the law and order situation faced there.

Recently there has been reported confrontations between buai traders and sellers as well as members of the communities along the Hiritano Highway.

Asi said the roadblocks along the Laloki and Doa areas have been set up to check all vehicles travelling in from Port Moresby and refuse the entry of identified buai buyers.