by Quinton Alomp – EM TV News, Port Moresby
Police will recommence criminal investigations into a shooting at Hanuabada that claimed the lives of two men in January this year.
Members of the police investigations team met with families of the two deceased this afternoon at the village and agreed to restart investigations.
Lead investigator, Acting Director Crimes, Moses Ibsagi, appealed to eyewitnesses to freely come forward for interview.
“We will start a new investigation. We will interview those people that were already interviewed and others who still need to be interviewed.
“We will also interview the police officers involved and then make our conclusion,” Ibsagi said.
The lead investigator said they have one month to carry out the investigation.
“We believe before Christmas some arrest will be made,” Ibsagi said.
The two deceased, Nicholas Rarua and Toka Gaudi were shot and killed on January 23 at Hanuabada village.
The suspected shooters were members of the police reserve unit who had entered the village chasing buai sellers when the incident occurred.
Three days after the shooting, then Police Commissioner, Geoffrey Vaki, announced that an investigation will be carried out and the suspects will be dealt with legally.
However, the outcome of the first investigation was poor and police claimed that eyewitnesses were not cooperating.
After nine months now, a new investigation will be carried out with a new investigating team.
Police have been prevented from entering the community since.
However, the families of the two have today agreed for police to continue regular patrols in the village whilst the new investigation continues.
NCD Metropolitan Superintendent, Ben Turi, said the nine months was too long and many involved with illegal activities including carjackings were using the village as a comfort zone.
Turi appealed to the community to allow police to patrol.
He also urged eyewitnesses to freely give their statements and evidence to the investigating team.
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