Cops accused of taking gold, cash

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

POLICE in Enga claim a team of officers from Port Moresby took a large quantity of gold and cash from gold buyers at Porgera on Monday.

Provincial police commander Chief Insp Philip Welia went to Porgera on Sunday and ordered the policemen to return the gold and cash on Monday.

But the officers from the Mobile Squad 04 left on a flight back home to Port Moresby on the same day.

The officers had conducted a raid at the Porgera station last Thursday at about 6.30pm and confiscated gold and cash from 11 gold buyers.

There was no official record of the gold and money taken at the station.

The policemen were deployed to Porgera in an on-going operation at the gold mine to stop and clear out illegal miners.

Welia told his policemen to disarm the Port Moresby officers and return the properties to the owners.

He also set up a team to investigate the matter.

But a police source said on Monday the gold buyers were waiting at the police station when they saw the Port Moresby officers leaving for Hagen to board a plane in the afternoon and return to Port Moresby.

Attempts made to get in touch with provincial police commander for further comments were unsuccessful. 

Calls to his office went unanswered yesterday.