POLICE COMMISSIONER CONDEMNS SORCERY-RELATED VIOLENCE AND KILLINGS IN ENGA

Police Commissioner David Manning has condemned the recent sorcery-related violence and killings in Enga province in relation to the death of Enga businessman Jacob Luke of Mapai Transport.

He said nine women were rounded up and tortured over the death of the Engan businessman.

In a statement today, Mr. Manning said Enga police intervened when news of the torture reached Wabag town, however, were only able to rescue five badly injured women who were tortured.

Four died and were buried before police arrived.

Mr. Manning said “This barbaric, senseless and evil act is an insult to the memory of a great man from Enga. Jacob Luke was kind, honest, and a hard-working man who was against such evil acts."

“I have been assured by the Enga Provincial Commander that all who participated in the torture and murder will be arrested and charged."

Mr. Manning said this evil act cannot continue and the police will take the strongest stand.

He said police will not rest until every one involved in this evil act are arrested, charged and prosecuted.

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BARBARIC CRIME MUST BE CURBED

The Shadow Minister for Police Johnson Wapunai has urged RPNGC Commissioner David Manning to seriously undertake barbaric crime in PNG and bring to justice those responsible.

Mr Wapunai made this call after numerous barbaric crime being committed in various parts of the country continued to be posted on social media outlets. There is no follow-ups or certainly if police are actively investigating or prosecuting those alleged to be involved in the barbaric crime.

Mr Wapunai said: "Just in the past week, an unverified video of three women being tortured and brutally assaulted by a pack of people somewhere in the Upper Highlands was circulated widely online.

Additionally, another video of a man being slashed, cut and hogtied, with men indicated on the video indicated that they must have burned the victim alive.

These barbaric acts against fellow human beings should be condemned and prosecuted to demonstrate that this country does not tolerate this obscene behaviour.

"Regardless of whatever nature of crime being committed, appropriate authorities should step in as soon as possible to establish law and order, and bring to justice those who are alleged to have committed the crime. Sad to emphasise that it is not happening this way in PNG.

"This country is currently over-taken by deadly cycles of manslaughter, rape, touture and barbaric acts, which has led to relatives, friends and families taking the matter in to their own hands for payback. The cycle continues to date because appropriate authorities do nothing but standby and look.

"I call on police commissioner to seriously address this law and order issues before it spiralled to next level.

Mr Wapunai also questioned the police hierarchies about the investigations into the Enga Massacres and many other killings, torture and rapes that have occurred in recent times.

"Part of the reason why many people are comfortably recording atrocious crimes and barbaric acts is because authorities are not dealing with the perpetrators and bystanders severely with harsh punishment.

"Any individual involved in tribal fights needs to be identified, prosecuted and sent to jail. We cannot have tribal war veterans and murderers walking our streets freely.

Mr Wapunai said week after week and month after month, social media in PNG is folded with videos of torture, killing, stabbing, rape and other gruesome videos, yet nothing aggressive is done by the authorities.

Hon. Wapunai stressed that people of PNG should wake up from slumber and demand justice for all.

"Where is our country heading to? It is obvious that our Prime Minister and his Police Minister are not at all have genuine concern for our people and their rights. The government should be protecting its citizens by all means and at all costs.

APPROVED FOR RELEASE:

HON. JOHNSON WAPUNAI

SHADOW MINISTER FOR POLICE

Row over top post

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK, The National PNG

POLICE Minister Bryan Kramer, on legal advice from State lawyers, has instructed Gari Baki to vacate the police commissioner’s office as his contract had expired in May.

He has appointed Deputy Commissioner Francis Tokura, currently the Bougainville Police Service commander, to be the acting police commissioner.
Tokura will be assisted by assistant police commissioners Joanne Clarkson (administration) and Peter Guinness (operations).

Kramer said Baki’s contract had expired on May 7 thus “he was illegally in office” as there had been no gazettal notice authorising him to act in the position.

“I got the advice from the Attorney-General’s office (last) Thursday and that made me instruct him to leave the office (last) Friday,” he said.
He informed Baki in writing.

“My letter to him was based on the advice I got from the Attorney-General’s office. The advice was that there was no existing appointment (to let Baki continue as commissioner),” Kramer said.

“Former Police Minister Jelta Wong never extended his (contract in an) acting position. Baki himself told me that the National Executive Council had never reappointed him. He made reference to some gazette notice which I’m not aware of.”

Kramer also welcomed Baki’s plan to take the matter to court.

“Even he goes to court, that would not put him back in the office,” he said.
“He is over the (retirement) age and he is no longer a member of the force.”
Kramer said the terms for deputy police commissioners Raphael Huafolo (administration) and Jim Andrews (operations) expired on July 4.

“He (Baki) himself issued the notice that both his deputies’ contracts have expired.”

Meanwhile, Baki plans to take the matter to court.

“The reason for my decision is because as far as the senior police leadership and I are concerned, due and established processes for appointments were not followed by Police Minister Bryan Kramer (in the appointments of Tokura, Guinness and Clarkson),” Baki said.

“At the outset, let me state for the record that this action is not intended in any way to discredit the three officers who have been appointed in acting capacities.

“They are experienced police officers who are more than qualified to occupy these offices.

This action is taken to protect them as well as the other senior officers of the constabulary.”

Baki questioned why the Government did not appoint Tokura, Clarkson and Guinness to substantive positions instead of in acting capacities.

“All appointments whether temporary or substantive shall be made by the Head of State, acting with and in accordance with the advice of the National Executive Council given after consultation with the Public Service Commission and any appropriate Permanent Parliament Committee, which in this case is the Permanent Parliament Appointments Committee,” he said.

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Kramer condemns Baki

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK, The National PNG

POLICE Minister Bryan Kramer, pictured, has accused Police Commissioner Gari Baki of protecting “corrupt politicians” by sitting on their files and not investigating them in the past four years.

He was responding to Baki’s statement yesterday that he had the files of 40 MPs on both sides of the House to investigate.

Kramer said: “He has been sitting on the files and protecting corrupt politicians. And now he wants to investigate them.

Where was he all these years? He has those files all this time. In fact there were more complaints against MPs during his time in office and he has been interfering with and frustrating investigations. He had four years to do that.”

Kramer said Baki should have delegated the investigations of the MPs to other qualified senior officers.

“There are other police officers who can investigate these MPs for alleged fraud or alleged official corruption,” he said.

He said investigation into the 40 MPs “will still proceed”.

Kramer also defended Francis Tokura’s appointment as acting Police Commissioner “in the best interest of Bougainville and Papua New Guinea”.

“His appointment was on merit and to provide stability for a peaceful outcome during the referendum,” he said.

Baki however claimed that the change in police leadership was to “protect those in power”.

“We have investigation files on some 40 MPs in Government and Opposition,” he said.

“This includes a good number of ministers in cabinet. Will the Government give us the support and cooperation to prosecute these cases?.” He said the constabulary was only as good as political masters.

“The issue is political will, determination, genuine desire to fight corruption and support for the constabulary,” Baki said.

He said he and his two deputy police commissioners were preparing to exit the police service.

“We are not fighting to hold onto office. But we want to see the police force and officers protected. We want to see the police force free from political manipulation and interference.”

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Officers told to serve Constitution, not Govt

By MALINDA KALE, The National PNG

POLICE officers must serve the Constitution and not the Government, says Police Minister Bryan Kramer.

He told the 28 cadet officers including six females to be commissioned during a parade at Bomana, Port Moresby last Friday that the Government did not create the positions of police officers.

“The position is created in the Constitution and it is the constitution you should serve,” he said.

He said the Government wanted to improve discipline and command in the constabulary “by depoliticising (it) so that officers can do their job provided under the constitution”.

“I have observed many commissioners and senior officers talking about serving the Government. A police officer is to serve the constitution (which) serves the 8.5 million people of Papua New Guinea,” he said.

“It is the constitution that you will serve.”

He planned to stop political interference into the functions of the constabulary.

“During our term in Government, that practice will change.”

Kramer pointed out that most people were more afraid of the police than criminals.

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