Cop faces murder charge

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
A POLICE officer who allegedly shot dead a colleague in Port Moresby during a dawn raid on Monday has been charged with murder.
Police commander for the National Capital District and Central, Assistant Comm Anthony Wagambie Jr, said the police officer was charged on Wednesday after he was interviewed with five others who were with their deceased colleague during the raid at the 5-Mile Ridge settlement.
“The six policemen were part of the group that conducted a raid on Monday at around 4am,” he said.
The group was looking for an armed robber and car thief police believed was living at the settlement. One of his accomplices had been arrested earlier.
“While in pursuit of someone they suspected was the criminal, the policeman was shot,” Wagambie said.
“He was taken to the hospital but passed away.”
The six policeman were later taken in by the Criminal Investigation Division homicide squad from Boroko police station for interrogation.
“They gave a detailed account of what happened. The policeman who shot his colleague later admitted what happened,” Wagambie said.
NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Gideon Ikumu told The National on Monday that the policeman was killed in an early morning shootout with criminals who had robbed Chimbu Governor Michael Dua at his 8-Mile home in Port Moresby last Saturday.
The criminals took Dua’s car, K50,000 in cash and a pistol with bullets.
Police suspected that it was a planned job.
The total value of items stolen was around K250,000.
“The policeman was killed during the shootout with the suspects at 5-Mile Ridge,” he said.