Manus

The 23-footer with 40 HP engine, loaded with bags of betelnut, headed towards Manus from Madang on May 22^nd.

“It was expected to arrive at Manus on May 24^th,” said provincial police commander (PPC), Chief Inspector David Yapu.

PPC Yapu said nine days have passed but the six male and two female passengers are yet to reach their destination.

A search party was sent out but returned with little success.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said the security team, who were conducting sea patrol and surveillance on COVID-19, were monitoring people travelling from other provinces into Lorengau.

Based on a tip off, they raided a house at Papitalai village, where they recovered the drug cache and arrested the suspect from Maprik.

The drugs have a street value of approximately K10,000.

Thirty-two-year-old Bart Warampi, from Sarakum village, will appear in the Lorengau District Court on April 6^th.

The team comprises of 35 members from the Royal PNG Constabulary, PNG Defence Force and Correctional Services.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, the security forces will also assist the health team with awareness and advocacy on COVID-19 measures.

“We have checked bus stops in town and set up roadblocks to check PMV drivers, crews and passengers to ensure they wear facemasks whilst traveling and carry authorised number of passengers as specified in the new measures under national public transport,” said the PPC.

Police in Manus Province reported that the deceased was tied with a rope and continuously assaulted by a group of men at Sopolau village in the Lelemadih-Bupichupeu Rural LLG, Lorengau, on 16th March.

Manus provincial police commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said the victim was left unconscious in the bush with ropes tied around him when he was found by villagers.

He sustained injures to his head and around his body.

He was taken to the Lorengau General Hospital but later died at the hospital at 5pm on March 17^th.

The vehicle involved in the accident was a PMV truck named ‘Tanikiu’ that services the Los Negros LLG and Lorengau town route.

Provincial police commander (PPC), Chief Inspector David Yapu, said the driver with his crew were drunk and travelling at high speed when they ran off the road and hit the trunk of a tree at Lolak village,  causing extensive damages to the right side of the vehicle.

It took a while for people to pull the crew out of the vehicle.

“He sustained a broken leg and was rushed to the Lorengau General Hospital,” reported the PPC.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said Wendal Agua and Kevin Mirimbe ran away by climbing over the razor fence, making it Agua’s fourth escape.

Yapu said following a tipoff, Task Force and CID conducted dawn raid on Friday February 5^th. They recaptured the two escapees around 3am at Wenai village near Lorengau town.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said the escapee, Wendal Agua, aged 28 from Likum village, climbed over the razor fence with another prisoner, 22-year-old Kevin Murimbe, on January 31^st.

The PPC said Agua was charged with wilful murder, where he was convicted by the National Court on April 10^th, 2019, and sentenced to 30 years in hard labour.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said 22-year-old Manuel Popress, of Salian village, Lorengau, was initially charged with break-and-enter when he escaped police cells in November 2020 with 12 other prisoners.

He was on the run until his recapture at Cancer Hill, upper ward 6, Lorengau town.

PPC Yapu said he was allegedly involved in the attempted hold up of the BSP ATM at the Lorengau General Hospital on December 31^st, 2020.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said between 11.40pm on Dec 31, 2020, and 12.01am on January 1^st, 2021, five armed suspects with three homemade guns and a crowbar, held up the hospital’s security guards and forced open the door to the ATM.

They smashed the glass of the machine open to steal the cash however, were prevented from accessing it by the machine’s electronic security system.

PPC Yapu said the suspects, when figuring out that any further attempt would be futile, escaped on foot to the back of hospital and into the bush.

Among those apprehended were 14 juveniles and two female suspects.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said the conflict stemmed from some outstanding issues in the past.

One of the group leaders mobilised his members and went to the house of another group leader who was a ward councillor.

Armed with sticks, stones and anything they could lay their hands on, the first group yelled obscenities at the ward councillor’s house. The PPC said the ward councillor and his group then retaliated in response.