Address police brutality: MP

DEPUTY Opposition leader Douglas Tomuriesa has called on the police hierarchy to investigate their members and address police brutality.
Tomuriesa said this in relation to an incident on Sunday morning where a group of Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) personnel from Murray Barracks fronted up at the Boroko police station demanding an explanation and the release of a soldier who had been allegedly beaten and detained for more than 24 hours without charge.
Tomuriesa said that the police hierarchy needed to address why its members were using violence and excessive physical force in the carriage of their duties.
“PNGDF personnel would not have done this if police had done their jobs professionally and by the book,” the Samarai-Murua MP said.
“The soldiers are frustrated just as many of us are frustrated with the way police are handling cases, there’s just too many police brutality happening in the country, it’s becoming a norm, citizens are more afraid of police then they are off criminals.”
Meanwhile, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Order, William Bando, said he would be calling on the commanders of both disciplined forces to explain what happened on Sunday morning.
“We all need to work together to address the issue and also ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future again,” he said.
Meanwhile, NCD and Central assistant commissioner Anthony Wagambie Jnr said an investigation into the incident was currently underway and would reveal what happened over the weekend that resulted in a group of soldiers storming the Boroko police station.
Intervention by senior officers from both the PNGDF and the RPNGC restored order.
“I have ordered an immediate investigation into the incident involving the soldier.
Furthermore, we are investigating and collecting CCTV footage of the damage done to the station, which is state property. I am not aware of what happened so the investigation will give us better information.”
Wagambie added that the military police would be a part of the investigation team for both incidents to ensure transparency.