Cops: Arson suspects let off easy

By YVONNE HAIP
SOUTHERN Highlands police are unhappy that six arson suspects have walked free after paying K100 bail each four days after they were arrested.
The four men were being held at Mendi police cells over a fire that destroyed property worth more than K1 million belonging to villagers in the remote Kutubu area on Feb 25.
A total of 26 houses were razed to the ground by villagers, allegedly from Tugiri, who blamed sorcery for the death of a respected leader in their community.
Police, led by provincial police commander, Chief Insp Sibron Papoto, arrested 23 suspects in a raid at 5am the next day.
The suspects were brought back to Mendi police station and questioned.
Six were identified as the prime suspects.
The suspects were granted bail despite police opposition.
Acting Highlands Divisional Commander Chief Supt Teddy Tei told The National police in the province were not happy because they had “sweated their guts out” to arrest suspects who were released on a “lousy” K100
bail while investigations were going on.
What frustrated police was that they had used their own resources to travel to the remote village to conduct the raid.
Police used their own resources to hire vehicles and pay for fuel.
Tei said he was writing to the magistrate concerned asking for an explanation.
Although the courts have the power to grant bail, he felt the magistrate should have considered the efforts of police.
Hard core suspects had been released while investigations were still pending, he added.