Ben Turi

The incident happened sometime around 11.30pm.

However, NCD metropolitan superintendent, Commander Ben Turi, says there is no need for distress.

“We were firing to disperse the crowd,” he tells Loop PNG.

“People were gathering around the area; it was overcrowded. We had to chase everyone away.”

This happened after NCD’s one-day polling. As electoral officials and security personnel packed up and transported the materials to the complex, vehicles loaded with people also followed suit.

Police had no choice but to resort to that tactic.

“We will have a tight and security conscious election today,” says NCD metropolitan superintendent, Ben Turi.

“All the auxiliaries and reservists in the city will be out to stand in all polling booths.

“We will be recalling all these auxiliaries and reservists except those under NCDC.”

The then NCD election manager, Hetinu, and his assistant, Tabogani, were taken in for questioning on Tuesday (June 24) after police personnel noted their suspicious behaviour.

Hetinu was questioned after a large amount of money, valued at K184,300, was found in his possession. Tabogani, on the other hand, was allegedly transporting ballot boxes without police escort, and in a tinted vehicle.

NCD metropolitan superintendent, Commander Ben Turi, believes these individuals’ ploy was to buy time to gather support.

He based his conviction on intel received from NCD police officers deployed to the highlands region.

“NCD officers have been calling me from Mt Hagen and Southern Highlands that a lot of people are getting on planes to come double vote in Port Moresby.

“NCD polling has never failed before. It was orchestrated so that their supporters could return and vote again.”

Metropolitan superintendent Ben Turi says police presence will be beefed up, especially near the largest settlements in the city like Morata, Wildlife area, Eight-Mile and Nine-Mile. Roadblocks should also be expected at every entry point of the three electorates.

“The three zone commanders will make sure that there is no overcrowding at the polling booths. You only stand in a queue to vote,” says Turi.

This was reiterated by the Electoral Commissioner and NCD metropolitan superintendent at the officials and security forces meet at the Rita Flynn complex this morning in Port Moresby.

Turi said for most polling venues, unlike in the past election polling period, most officials will now have to be at the camping site a day prior to the polling. This is to avoid inconveniences for the ballot papers to be brought straight to the polling venues.

This was announced today by NCD Metropolitan Superintendent, Ben Turi, at a public meet with election officials and joint security forces at the Rita Flynn complex in Port Moresby.

Turi said this is because the market is a breeding area for criminal activities.

He said come Tuesday, the local and international media will be fixated upon Papua New Guinea in that one time in every five years that PNG goes into polling to vote for their leaders.

He warned members of the general public that the joint forces will not tolerate misbehavior.

This was the warning from NCD metropolitan superintendent, Ben Turi, following the alleged hacking of candidates’ Facebook message logs. Screenshots of the purportedly hacked chat logs were uploaded on Facebook on Sunday.

Private messages that allegedly belonged to NCD regional candidates Andy Bawa, Robert Agen and Noel Anjo Kolao, surfaced on social media, sparking heated discussions on their validity. Another regional candidate, Steven Kilage, was also named, including an assistant police commissioner.

The NCD regional candidates: Andy Bawa, Robert Agen and Noel Anjo Kolao, were allegedly planning to hijack the election process. Screenshots of their purportedly hacked chat log were recently uploaded on Facebook.   

NCD metropolitan superintendent, Ben Turi, is now calling on them to voluntarily report to the Boroko Police Station or Assistant Commissioner of Police and head of the Crimes Directorate, Victor Isouve.

“We have taken the threats seriously and we will be asking these three gentlemen to come to our office for an explanation,” Turi tells Loop PNG.

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.