Chimbu PPC warns officers to shape up

POLICE personnel in Chimbu have been urged to maintain the good image of the force during and after office duty.
Provincial police commander John Kale warned any police officer acting beyond their powers and in a criminal manner would face disciplinary action.
Insp Kale said this yesterday after several policemen allegedly misused K200 bail money belonging to a mother of four, assaulted civilians and detained them without charges.
Thresia Yogawo, from Waigar village, in Kerowagi district, claimed she was unlawfully detained by police on Sept 22 with her husband, Pius Yogawo, and another villager, Awi Philip.
Thresia said she was locked up for two days without being charged and released on a K200 bail on  Sept 24.
She said her husband and Philip were released later that afternoon after posting bail for K200 each.
She said her bail money had never been receipted although police issued receipts for the two men.
Yogawo claimed the police picked him and his wife from their home after alleging he had mobilised youths to attack a vehicle at around 7pm on Sept 22.
He said he was in his trade store when some youths said something to the people on the moving vehicle.
Yogawo said the driver of the vehicle drove further down, reversed and stopped in front of his store.
He said when he opened the door, the driver, two policemen in civilian dress and a villager attacked him.
He told them he had not done anything wrong but they continued to attack him until his tribesmen chased them away.
Yogowa said they went back to Kundiawa and returned at around 1am and forcefully entered his trade store, smashed five cartons of beer and got his bush knife and threatened to chop his neck.
He said when his wife came to rescue him, the police assaulted her as well.
He said his eldest daughter Rose in Grade 8 at Kunabau Primary School came out of her room and was assaulted as well.
He said the police took them to Kundiawa where they were assaulted again and taken into the police station.
Yogawo said the next day, the same policemen came back to Waigar and demanded their bail money. His daughter gave them K510.
He said again in Kundiawa, the police demanded another K100, which he gave.
Yogawo said last Friday, the Kundiawa district court dismissed the case due to lack of evidence and ordered their bail money to be refunded.
He said he was unhappy with the manner in which the policemen treated him and his family.
He said his lawyer had already served the Section 5 notice to the public solicitor’s office about their intention to sue the State.
Kale confirmed the incident yesterday and said some youths at Waigar instigated the problem when they attacked off-duty policemen and two civilians on the vehicle.
He said an internal police investigation was now under way and if it was true t his policemen behaved in a criminal manner while on off-duty, he would take disciplinary action against them.

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