Five to face army court

National

By Rebecca Kuku
DEFENCE Force Commander Brigadier-General Gilbert Toropo says five soldiers arrested in Chimbu for being in possession of ammunition and K5000 will also be dealt with by a military court.
Toropo said he did not condone such conduct.
“They will also be tried under the court of military discipline according to the evidence presented during the court hearing.”
According to police, the soldiers appeared in court yesterday where one was jailed for three months and four warned and released.
Toropo said soldiers deployed during the general election had been clearly instructed that their duty was to create a safe and conducive environment for the electoral process to take place “freely, fairly and trouble-free”.
Eastern End assistant police commissioner Nema Mondiai confirmed that one of the soldiers was jailed for three months, and the others were warned and released.
“The five officers have been identified as officers from the Taurama Barracks in Port Moresby that were deployed to Jiwaka for the election security operations,” Mondiai said.
“All five were in civilian clothes and were driving three unmarked vehicles when they were stopped by police officers and their vehicles checked.”
He said police found an undisclosed number of ammunition in their possession and K5000 hidden in their shoes.