Provincial Police Commander

Missing 4yo’s body retrieved

The four-year-old’s body was found on Sunday as it drifted ashore at the Naval base beach at Lombrum.

Manus Provincial Police Commander, chief inspector David Yapu, said all missing bodies have now been retrieved and are at the Lorengau Morgue.

The victims were among 30 passengers travelling on a 23-foot, 60 horse powered boat to a funeral when the boat capsized due to strong winds and rough seas near Pityluh Island.

Rise in illegal miners

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop, highlighted this after he paid a special Christmas visit to security operations in the mine areas, saying this is posing a threat to workers’ safety.

Reports of rape incidents, home brewing, murder and break-and-entering into company premises, is frequenting the surrounding mine area at Pogera Gold Mine.

According to PPC Tondop’s security assessment, these serious issues are likely to affect mining operations as illegal mining activities increase.

Peaceful celebrations in Manus

Officers were deployed to villages on mainland Manus, while another team, including the provincial police commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, visited the villages of Bundrahei, Likum, Koroji and Bujhou, along the South Coast of Manus.

The PPC and his team spent time raising awareness to assist in reducing law and order issues in their communities. 

The patrols also saw peaceful celebrations in the villages, and PPC Yapu thanked them for keeping the peace, appealing to them to continue the same as they welcome the New Year.

‘No tribal fighting’ declaration

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop, says the launch of the program to address law and order issues in the province will be held on November 30.

PPC Tondop since taking over the Enga post in July has held three Police Community Consultative meetings in Wabag over the status of law and order issues in the province.

Tribal fighting, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS and all forms of violence against women and children were highlighted by the PPC as issues hindering the progress of the province.

Misunderstanding leads to call for Aust’s disengagement

The situation arose when the Australian Defence Force helicopter that was supposed to be used for emergency on Manam Island could not be used today.

Madang Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector Ben Neneo, said they were told by the Australian Defence Force that there were no protocol to use the helicopter.

PPC Neneo said he was confused as to what protocol they (Australian Defence Force) were referring to during this time of disaster.

"What protocol are we not following?

Alarming sorcery-related cases in EHP

Provincial Police Commander, Acting Superintendent David Seine, says there has been a slight increase of reported cases coming in from the districts.

While some may have been unreported, he says four cases reported in the last four to six weeks are alarming.

Police in the province are currently working to apprehend all 23 people who were allegedly involved in the brutal killing of three people, accused of practicing sorcery in April.

PPC Seine says so far only three people have been arrested and charged over the killing.

Central Province highway patrol back

Provincial police commander, Sibron Papoto, says the unit has been reinstated as of two weeks back with members and vehicles relegated to them.

There are presently 22 new members along with two vehicles assigned to help the unit carry out police work.

PPC Papoto says the rationale behind the reinstatement of the unit is to help with the identified law and order issues along the highway communities.

Tribal fighting erupts again

Provincial Police Commander, George Kakas, said the fighting subsided last Wednesday when Enga’s Mobile Squad (MS11) withdrew from Southern Highlands with a section of military personnel stationed at strategic locations on the border of the two warring tribes. 

On Monday, the peace and good order committee, escorted by police, visited both tribes to foster peace agreements, but one tribe refused.

This morning, PPC Kakas said fighting erupted again with the Kii tribe launching an attack on the Kala tribe.

Oro PPC suspended

Information from the Police Headquarters in Port Moresby state that the PPC was said to have apprehended two men from his home village upon the belief that they were behind a sorcery-related act in relation to a swollen feet.

The two men were taken from the village and were reported to have been beaten up along the way.

Police say one was pronounced dead while the other is now in hospital in critical condition.

Deputy Police Commissioner-Operations, Jim Andrews, says such acts, especially by a senior police officer, are uncalled for in the force.

Manus police cells overcrowded

Provincial police commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, is now raising concerns over the number of detainees and remandees in the new police station building.

Currently there are 45 detainees and remandees in the police cells.

Yapu, who spoke to this newsroom, said the new police station has separate holding cells for male, female and juvenile detainees but the 45 is a lot.

“We want to keep a small number of detainees at one time at the cells,” he said.