Police Commissioner, David Manning said he is aware of candidates behind the widespread election-related violence in Enga Province during this National General Elections.
Manning said at least 15 candidates who stood for elections in a number of electorates in Enga, are suspected and the Investigative Task Force is compiling reports and statements at this time.
Commissioner Manning said the ITF report would allow the police to apply for search warrants for their persons, known associates, financial assets, and material property and if need be, arrest warrants.
Manning said the task force would be deployed in stages over the coming days to conduct investigations on the suspected candidates.
Updates from various parts of the Enga province over the last 72 hours show unprecedented level of violence, death and destruction of private and public property.
In Kompiam-Ambum, four bridges on the Wabag-Kompiam road were destroyed, and government installed schools were also destroyed.
There is confirmed destruction of village homes and livestock and continuous tribal fighting between rival candidates and unconfirmed reports of widespread killings.
Despite efforts of the Joint Security Task Force Air Ops only a limited number of boxes were able to be collected from Kompiam and extracted to Hagen. All other boxes for the electorate that were extracted by road are currently being stored at the main storage containers in Wabag town.
The Kompiam Returning Officer and his officials were on hand and were involved in assisting the extraction of the boxes from Kompiam and delivered to Hagen.
The remaining boxes will be left to the Returning Officer and Electoral Manager to decide as to what options to take,” Manning said.