Police Approach Questioned

By Theckla Gunga – EMTV News,  Port Moresby

Four killings have been reported over the weekend, but Port Moresby police are yet to make arrests on suspected individuals. The first incident involved the murder of three young men at Gordons Police Barracks last Saturday, while the other, was the death of a 22-year-old student at Gerehu Stage Seven.

The first murder was a traffic accident, where a vehicle crashed into the fence at Gordons Barracks and killed two people. The other two were rushed to the hospital but one died leaving only one survivor. It is understood the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident was badly beaten by relatives of the victims and is in a critical condition.

For the incident at Gerehu, the community members said they have seen the same group of police officers patrolling their community for over four weeks. The deceased has been identified as 222-year-old David Puang. There were reports of harassments, swearing and threatening issued by the policemen accused of killing the 22-year-old.

At this stage, it is not clear on why Puang was shot and killed. But it is understood, Puang was returning home after buying a biscuit from the nearby trade store.

But the police say on the night of March 24th. they were responding to gunshots fired by community members towards police officers on patrol and the increase in petty crimes reported in that community. This is one of the many reported murders where policemen were accused of killing civilians with the use of firearms.

While the relatives of the four deceased are morning their loss, no arrests have yet been made on both incidents.