Pastor James Lepi, an elder with the Lutheran Church in Gerehu, has come forth to advocate against police brutality, after he became a victim himself.
Pastor James visited the EMTV studio to tell of his ordeal of how he was brutally bashed by seven police men at Badili Police Station, and later at Six Mile Police Station, by policemen using iron rods.
The incident occurred when Pastor James went to pay bail for his PMV Bus Driver who was arrested by police yesterday.
When Pastor James and his PMV Driver, Andrew Lepi, came to EMTV studio this morning, it was clear that they were in pain, all bruised and sore by the severe beating they received from policemen at Badili and Six Mile Police Stations.
Pastor James was concerned that as an innocent civilian, he should have been approached in an orderly manner by the policemen. He claims that when he told the officers that he was there to bail his crew, they retaliated and charged him for obstructing police duties, a charge which he failed to understand, as he was only there to bail his men out in the first instance.
The victims said after they were assaulted at Badili Police Station before being transported to Six Mile Police Station where they say they were severely assaulted again by police using iron rods and other unidentified objects.
They were then transported to Boroko Police Station during the early hours of this morning before being released on bail.
Meanwhile, Boroko Police Station confirmed the incident and said Pastor James was charged for resisting police arrest and obstructing Police duty while the PMV Driver Andrew was charged for driving without a license.
They further stated that the policemen involved in the brutality will be identified and investigations will commence immediately.
