Manus Police

Provincial Police Commander, chief inspector David Yapu, said the main celebrations were staged at Independence Park in Lorengau town with flag raising by PNGDF HMPNGS Tarangau in the morning and lowering of the flag in the afternoon.

The Governor of Manus, Charlie Benjamin, who was the guest speaker, delivered a keynote address on the occasion of the 43rd Independence Anniversary to the people of Manus.

Yapu said the Police were out in full force to ensure the celebrations were staged peacefully and orderly.

Only two cases were reported with arrests made and Manus Provincial Police Commander David Yapu thanked the people of Manus for a peaceful celebration in the Province.

An infanticide case was reported in Lorengau over the long weekend.

A male infant was found floating at sea between 6 and 8 am on Easter Monday, at ward 3, near the council center in Lorengau town.

Provincial Police Commander Chief inspector David Yapu said Police retrieved the dead infant who is now at the Morgue.

Suspect Boas Thomas Lau, aged 30, from Hahai village, Pak Island, was arrested and charged on Saturday, February 24.

Manus provincial police commander (PPC), David Yapu, said the mobile squad responded to a tip off about a drug syndicate operating between Manus and Madang, apprehending the alleged ring leader at Lorengau main market and confiscating large quantities of drugs from his possession.

The suspect admitted to buying drugs in Madang and transporting them to Manus by boats involved in the buai trade.

Manus provincial police commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said the woman was held captive in the accused’s house at Pere village for some time, where she was denied her rights and freedom to movement, even to come out of the house for ‘nature’s call’.

He said the convict's wife and the woman were all living in one house and while his wife was allowed to move around freely, the victim was not.

Yapu said the husband of the woman went to the man’s house and asked him to release his wife so he could take her to see their children at their house.

Family Sexual Violence (FSV), Sexual Offences Squad, (SOS) and Transnational Crime unit (TCU) are new units.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu said creation of the Sexual Offense Squad is in response to reported cases of rape, sexual penetration, child molesting, incest and sexual touching in the province.

He said there are serious offences and must be dealt by appropriate unit so that the perpetrators are dealt with the full force of the law with punitive punishment.

In highlighting the year, Provincial Police Commander, David Yapu, who was also promoted to the rank of Chief Inspector in April, said he was faced with lots of challenges and critics from people last year.

“I have made a lot of changes in the organization especially dealing with discipline issue as our number one priority and brought the organization and Manus Province to the next level within my (2) years in the Province.

Police say the suspect is a known prison escapee who had been on the run.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector said police were out in full force to ensure the New Year was celebrated peacefully however there were reported incidents which police were able to attend to.

They include a break and enter incident where a youth broke into a shop to steal. That youth has since been arrested and is in police custody.

There was also reports of unlawful wounding, discharging of firearms and two arrests made for homebrew and drug consumption.

“They must remain in their yard or premises and celebrate New Year and not come out on the main road and street to block off the road or dump rubbish.

“Police will come hard on them if they break the law. Police will be working round the clock 6pm to 6am.

“Those people that are living in the small outer Islands of Manus, the same message applies to them.

The 18 year old suspects who recently completed grade 12 in the province was apprehended by police during the Festive Operations on Saturday morning following the incident.

Manus Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector, David Yapu, identified the deceased as Simon Joseph, of Manus and New Ireland parentage.

He said the stabbing incident occurred between 11 and 11.30pm at ward 6, where the deceased was stabbed on the back with a sharp object which penetrated through his heart and caused his death.

Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector, David Yapu says he is pleased with Ward Councilors, ward development Committees, and Village Court Magistrate playing a leading role in maintaining law and order in their respective wards and LLG levels.

He made these comments after conducting an awareness at Rambutso Island over the weekend.

Meantime, police arrested a 39 year-old man over the weekend from Rambutso Island and charged him with the sexual penetration of a grade 7 student.

The incident allegedly took place on November 11 in the victim’s village.