Tommy Baker

Milne Bay Provincial Police Commander Peter Barkie confirm this, this morning.

He said the body of the notorious criminal is now at the Alotau morgue.

PPC Barkie said Commissioner of Police David Manning and the police hierarchy will release more information on this.

As the sun set over the coast of Alotau, a town in the east of Papua New Guinea, on a Friday night in April, four boats zoomed from the beach into the night. Onboard the dinghies there were close to 100 men, fully armed with high-powered firearms, including the country’s most-wanted fugitive: Tommy Baker.

Minister Tomuriesa put his hand up during the law and order committee meeting to assist in this dialogue to address underlying issues for the cause of the recent wave of crime and violence in Milne Bay Province.  

He said: “Communication has been made already between the group and I’m hoping that within the next few days and weeks that I be given the opportunity to meet them so I can hear them out.”

The media is invited to join Tomuriesa, members of the Milne Bay Friends Foundations and several leaders in Alotau to meet with Baker.  

The other five suspects will be charged with one count of accessory after the fact for each of the 22 charges and one count of harbouring, for a total of 23 charges each.

The 11 suspects were transferred to Port Moresby from Alotau on Wednesday, February 20^th, and are now in police custody. The youngest among the group is 19 years old while the oldest is a 48-year-old man.

A special PEC meeting was held on Tuesday, January 29^th, and the public will be advised of the outcome in due course.

The mayhem in Alotau is believed to have escalated after police set on fire a house belonging to the parents of one of the gang members, namely Michael Yauwi or better known as Mekere.

The house situated near the police barracks was torched after police believed the house was used by notorious Tommy Baker, Mekere and their gang.

The two bodies were found in the toilet compartment of unit six of the police duplex that was set on fire allegedly by Alotau’s notorious criminal gang leader Tommy Baker and his members. The son was found next to the toilet pot and the mother not far from him, all covered in ashes.

The sad discovery was made early the next morning when PNG Power and the Provincial Works Unit were called in to assess and assist clear the ruins of the burnt houses in the police barracks.

Commissioner Baki confirmed that a mobile squad team is being deployed to Alotau to assist the local police with the recent string of violent sea piracy and robbery.

Baker, who was detained at Bomana CIS, escaped last year on October 3rd at the Port Moresby General Hospital while receiving medical treatment. Commissioner Baki said it would take a lot of time, effort and money to re-arrest Baker.

Milne Bay provincial police commander (PPC), George Bayagau, told Loop PNG that he clearly saw Baker in a helmet and body armour when they entered the barracks at around 7pm.

“He was dressed like one of the Defence (personnel) and he was the man behind all the instructions,” said Bayagau.

Bayagau and his four officers were evidently outnumbered when around 20 to 50 criminals started a gunfight with them, which lasted for three hours with a number of injuries on both sides.