Asylum seekers charged

National
Source:
The National,Tuesday June 28th, 2016

MANUS police have so far charged 12 asylum seekers with various offences since the rules on their detention at the processing centre had been relaxed.
Acting Manus police provincial commander Senior Inspector David Yapu said the 12 had appeared before the Lorengau district court charged with assault, drunk and disorderly and for using abusing language.
The rules on their detention were relaxed following the Supreme Court ruling in April to close the detention centre at the Defence Force Lombrum naval base.
“The number of them facing criminal court proceedings is a concern.  These incidents occurred during their confrontation with their expatriate guards within the camps,” he said. Yapu also said the asylum seekers had also been victims of crime when they venture outside the camp.
One was robbed of his mobile phone and K300 in the early hours of a Saturday morning after returning from a dance at a hotel.
Yapu said another asylum seeker was robbed of his mobile phone while returning from town to the camp. He however, elected to drop the charges after the two men who robbed him returned his phone.
Yapu said asylum seekers should be wary of their safety is when they want to travel outside their centre.