The father of late Ruby-Anne Laufa, Maurice Laufa, for the first time since his daughter’s death, has spoken out and questioned police investigation into the tragic death of his daughter on Saturday, February 11 2017.
Laufa expressed serious concern about the questionable and apparent lack of urgency in police investigation into this death.
Laufa in a statement said, on the afternoon of the day of her death, the suspect, Richard Namaliu, was detained at Four Mile traffic police station for about four hours and then released without charge.
Laufa stated that the police recorded the cause of his daughter’s death as suicide in the police occurrence book.
He said the next day following her death, several security personnel of the University of PNG, as potential witnesses, provided their names and contact details to police.
Laufa revealed that on Monday, February 13 a witness presented himself at Boroko Police Station CID office and provided a statement.
He said the suspect was allowed to be present at the interviewing and recording of the witness statement.
Laufa said that to date, ten days after the tragic death of his daughter, the police have not spoken to any of the UPNG security personnel, who volunteered their names and details, nor invited them to go to the police station to provide statements.
“Police have not contacted me or my other daughter to provide statements concerning the circumstances leading up to the tragic death despite having my contact details and knowing where I reside.
“The police have elected not to take proactive steps but rather have submitted to reaction in their investigation.
“I believe that initial information available to police suggest that the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of my daughter is highly suspicious.
“This should prompt any experienced and competent police officer to take proactive steps to conduct further enquiries and investigations into her death, in this case they have elected to wait.
“On the theory that my daughter committed suicide, on what factual basis do the police justify their statements?” Laufa questioned.
He said that the police statement suggesting suicide as a possible cause of his daughter’s tragic death is highly contemptuous, suspicious, insulting and without an aota of truth.
“It is even absurd and insane for police to suggest and treat my daughter’s tragic death as motor traffic related.
“As a senior lawyer and teacher of law for almost thirty years, I have always believed, trusted and confided in the integrity, fairness, honesty and competence of our criminal justice system, including police criminal investigations.
“The concerns I have raised above have, in the last 10 days, tested my belief, trust and confidence in our criminal justice system, specifically police criminal investigations.
“My daughter is dead so she cannot tell the world what happened to her.
“She can only do so through our criminal justice system starting with a fair, transparent and competent police criminal investigations and forensic science.
“My daughter died in a very violent and suspicious circumstance and we demand justice for her and it is the duty of the police to assist in our demand for justice,” Laufa said.
Meantime, the family has steadfastly refused and will refuse to accept all or any offers of assistance or contributions from Richard Namaliu and his family and friends to meet the costs of late Ruby’s funeral expenses.