13 charged following rampage

By JIMMY KALEBE
THIRTEEN villagers have been charged with threatening following a rampage of a logging camp in the area, police say.
One was charged with damaging properties, stealing, assaulting, threatening and causing grievous bodily harm.
All were bailed and expected to appear in court today.
Morobe acting police commander Chief Insp John Daviaga said the incident happened last Thursday when frustration ran high over the logging camp operators’ logging licence and charges were laid on Monday.
He said landowners from Zinamba village in ward four of the Morobe local level government area of Huon Gulf rampaged the camp after asking the operators several times to renew their logging licence.
Thirteen villagers were released on police bail of K300 each for alleged threats and one faced additional charges and was bailed for K900.
Insp Daviaga said he did not know the logging company’s operating licence had expired in November as claimed by the villagers.
“I am yet to confirm that with the company and the authorities,” he said.
“With the villagers claiming that police used wire to tie the legs and hands of those charged – this was for security purpose.”
Insp Daviaga said since there were only two policemen who arrested the 14, they had to take precaution when taking them into Lae.
“When I approached the suspects then, I didn’t see them being tied with wire as claimed,” he said.
Zinamba village spokesperson Ida Peukhada said landowners had acted out of frustration after telling the logging company on seven occasions that their agreement had expired and that the company had to temporarily cease operations.
“We told them to stop operations and sort out legal documents before they could operate but the did not,” Peukhada said.
“On the eighth attempt to stop them, that was when the villagers got angry and did what happened.”
She claimed that the way police handled the suspects when taking them to Lae was inhumane and against human rights.