Baki finds informant same man behind death threats

By DAPHNE WANI
Police Commissioner Gari Baki says he was “very disappointed” on learning that his informant was that same person who was issuing death threats to him and his family in 2015.
Baki appeared before Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika at the Waigani National Court yesterday as a witness against Moses Maina who was charged with seven counts of issuing written threats to kill the commissioner. The State alleged that Maima codenamed himself as the “fighter”, “snakehead’’ and “snake without tail” in his series of threatening texts messages to the commissioner.
Baki said he feared for the safety of his family and since then he sent all his family, especially his grandchildren, to the village in West New Britain.
The court heard that the threats came about following Baki’s standing orders in 2015 for the transfer of police officers and dismissal of two of them.
The informant then appeared before Baki knowing most of the police internal issues and gained Baki’s trust and confidence.
Baki found out after police investigators had arrested Maina.
“Those texts were from him as he was the one who would know what I was discussing with him. I was very disappointed,” he said in his evidence.
The State alleged that Maina, 32, from Togoba village in the Nebilyer district of Western Highlands, was issuing threatening messages with intent to kill the commissioner from Sept 16, 2015, to Nov 2, 2016.
State lawyer Lilly Jack said two more witnesses would be brought in today to give evidence before the State completed its case.
Maina was represented by a lawyer from the Office of the Public Solicitor.
The trial continues today.
Maina appeared from custody.