Looting

Police raid on looted items continues

Guinness said despite the ending of the State of Emergency, police are still monitoring the looted items due to the ongoing investigation into the civil unrest on the 10th of January, 2024.

He said police will only raid houses if they receive reports relating to the looted items.

Guinness said police retrieved a total of K60,000 cash buried underground at Six Mile last week, believed to be stolen from an ATM machine during the civil unrest.

 He said another K400,000 was retrieved from the ATM at Waigani.

Don’t blame police for deaths: ACP

Assistant Commissioner of Police for Northern Command, Peter Guinness, clarified that the message was clear; remain at home or within your premises.

So far, Lae police have confirmed five deaths and six injuries.

“Why did they come out to the streets? What was their intention and what was their purpose for coming and joining the group to cause trouble?”

Highlighting the Port Moresby rampage on Wednesday, January 10th, ACP Guinness said people thought they could capitalise on the situation in other centres of the country.

PNG Fire Station spread thin

Chief of Fire PNG, Bill Roo said most of these fires were from shops.

He said this during a media conference by the now-suspended police commissioner, David Manning in Port Moresby yesterday. 

“Fire trucks were scattered from one destination to another, and we were unable to contain most of the fires in the city because they were too many,” he said. 

He said it was very challenging for them but they managed to contain a few of the fires.

Several killed in Lae confrontation

In a press briefing this afternoon, Assistant Commissioner of Police - Northern Command, Peter Guinness, said opportunists did not fear for their lives when they rushed to break into shops and business houses. 

“Several of those would-be looters were shot and they’re now at the morgue; four confirmed dead and eight casualties,” ACP Guinness told Lae media in the presence of the Morobe Provincial Administrator, Max Bruten, and the team leaders of the joint forces. 

Business council calls on government to protect businesses

BCPNG president, Susil Nelson-Kongoi recounted how business houses in Port Moresby lost millions of kina in just one day.

She said the private sector and businesses pay hefty fees and incur enormous costs to operate in the country.

President Kongoi has called on the government to put security measures and tougher penalties in place to protect the retailers from the loss and damages caused by violence as seen yesterday.

“The business affected yesterday will not only impact the owners, but every person employed and will also put a strain on the government’s revenue”.

20 shops reportedly looted

Opportunists took advantage of a gathering of the police personnel at Unagi Oval, seeking to address discrepancies in their salaries.

While waiting for their concerns to be addressed by relevant authorities, opportunists seized the moment leading to widespread looting and burning down of shops in the city.

Two of the well-known family shops that were burnt include Stop N Shop and Papindo. Brian Bell group also lost their warehouse at Gerehu  Stage 6.

Iduhu shock and ashamed

Iduhu, who has also expressed his intention to resign from government following this, said “The violence, looting, and total disregard of the rule of law was not reflected of a democracy we (pride) ourselves on upholding.

“With just over a year to go until our country marks 50 years of Independence, our country should not be experiencing civil unrest, not to mention on an unprecedented scale,” expressed MP Iduhu.

Suspects linked to Koki riot arrested

NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Silva Sika personally led this operation, demonstrating the police's commitment to ensuring public safety.

The unrest in Koki began when a man was killed, triggering a wave of violence and chaos. Opportunistic individuals took advantage of the situation, engaging in acts of looting, vandalizing shops, and damaging vehicles traveling along Healy Road. The extent of the damage, loss, and injuries caused by this unrest is still being assessed.

Over 100 arrested for riot and looting in Honiara

“I must make it very clear here that no one is above the law,” Commissioner Mostyn Mangau said.

Mr Mangau added “We are expected to live and make decisions within the principles of the rule of law regardless of our positions in our society. I therefore forewarned that if anybody is found in breach of such illegal activities, Police will not hesitate to arrest and deal with him/her.”

Food, fuel and cash in short supply after days of riots shut down Honiara

Businesses, schools and even the Prime Minister's residence were set alight and looted by protesters during three straight days of civil unrest.

Now people are struggling to restock food supplies, and there are queues at ATMs and petrol stations as the extent of the crisis begins to take its toll.

Unrest broke out on Wednesday when a peaceful protest calling on Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to step down turned violent and quickly spiralled out of control of the local police.