Royal PNG Constabulary

Two officers were reportedly gunned down during the weekend. Details into the killing are yet to be established.

In a statement, Minister Jelta Wong says: “In light of the current situation in the Southern Highlands Province, a number of fatalities were sustained by the RPNGC as a result of a deliberate and cowardly attack by members of the public on members of the RPNGC, an action I condemn as the Police Minister.” 

This quote by Martin Luther King Jnr was stressed by Chief inspector Delilah Sandeka when talking about family violence.

Sandeka is the district coordinator for the Family Sexual Violence Unit under the Royal PNG Constabulary.

“Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly, so we cannot sit back and say that’s their problem, I’m not affected. Every one of us has to work together to see that family violence is reduced,” she said.

NCD metropolitan superintendent, Ben Turi, told Loop PNG that last week, a young man from Samarai, Milne Bay Province, was killed after he attempted to defend his father from getting mugged by youths from a nearby settlement. This was at the Waigani/Morata bus stop.

“They were bashing up the old man when he stepped in to protect him,” says Turi.

The settlers turned around and attacked the victim with bush knives and stones. Unfortunately, the young man succumbed to his injuries.

After speaking with the Hela Provincial Police Commander, Luke Wally, Gari Baki said: "I am indeed very satisfied with the outcome of this election period and I hope this continues throughout the polling period as well.”

Commissioner Baki said despite public perception, Hela has been relatively quiet, apart from the one or two incidents in recent weeks.

The elections needed to be taken seriously, stated the commissioner.

“Everyone must make sure that it is delivered successfully in their respective regions.”

As a result, a meeting has been organised for the members of the Inter-Departmental Election Committee (IDEC), heads of the three disciplinary forces, the chief secretary and the Electoral Commissioner. They will meet with the electoral officials and Provincial Police Commanders of each of the provinces in the region.

The idea is to move within the provinces and have a one-on-one discussion with officials about their responsibilities.

Police Commissioner Gari Baki said this is make sure the election process is followed diligently.

“Real criminals are out there. Bashing up innocent victims is the work of incompetent officers,” Metropolitan Superintendent Ben Turi told Loop PNG.

“The real coppers go after criminals. It’s cowards who pick on the innocent.”

He has given his assurance that the perpetrators, including the police station commanders of Waigani and Badili, will be disciplined.

Avara Jack, from Vabukori village in the nation’s capital, nearly lost his life on Saturday, May 27, after police officers allegedly bashed him up and stabbed him in the back with a cracked bottle neck.

According to his father’s statement to the Royal PNG Constabulary, Avara was brutally assaulted just because he was in the company of someone (name withheld) who had yelled insulting remarks to a Minister during a political rally.

“The MP’s committee called the police to sort out the disturbance by this individual,” says Jack Rau.

This was stressed by the Metropolitan Superintendent, Ben Turi, after the growing number of posts about vehicles getting held up and stolen on the NCD Alert Facebook page.

Turi said his officers are doing a good job around the city, such as the setting up of roadblocks, and they need to be praised for keeping the city quiet since the start of the election period.

“There is no increase and the crime rate is at a manageable and low level, although there is still room for improvement.”

NCD Metropolitan Superintendent, Ben Turi, says all police officers are paid for their jobs and it is against their conduct to accept, let alone ask for, any money from the public at roadblocks.

He also states, police roadblocks are not a new thing to residents in the nation’s capital, therefore people shouldn’t act surprised when approaching one.

“All vehicles will be searched for criminals or weapons or if the driver and his passengers are under the influence of alcohol,” Turi states.

NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Ben Turi says the number of posts about the stolen motor vehicles do not match the reports that are filed every day at the police stations.

“Such pages are good but can also be misleading and give a bad name to the force,” states Turi.

“We have vehicle problems but we are still managing to push through the bad publicity on social media.”

Turi adds that his men are already struggling with the limited resource available.