Cops charged with extorting money

By KARO JESSE
A POLICE constable (PC), reservist and civilian were yesterday charged in the Waigani committal court with various counts of offences linked to extorting money.
Magistrate Tracy Ganaii read out the charges against PC Jeffery Kifoi, 31, reservist Henry Lawrence Wanapi, 32, and Vakinap Dermot, 32.
PC Kifoi, from Daulo Eastern Highlands, is charged with four counts of abuse of office and extortion while Wanapi, from Central’s Hiri is charged with two counts of the same offence.
Dermot, from East Sepik’s Ambunti, is charged with extortion and impersonating a policeman.
On Monday, the trio were remanded by Ganaii who ruled that they were wrongly released on K1,000 police bail each because they were arrested on a court’s warrant of arrest.
However, on the trio’s application for bail, Ganaii granted bail of K1,000 each and adjourned hearing to Feb 20.
She also warned the trio that bail would be revoked if they breached three conditions:

• NOT to interfere with state witnesses;
• NOT leave the National Capital District without seeking leave from court; and
• TO attend court hearings whenever called.

According to police investigations, PC Kifoi, Wanapi and Dermot had on Jan 6 at Laguna Hotel allegedly extorted money from the Sauka.
It is alleged that the extortion was linked to an alleged case of misappropriation and corruption case against Sauka.
The trio allegedly used the allegations against Sauka to extort K19,600 from Sauka in exchange for discontinuing or delaying prosecution for the alleged misappropriation against Sauka.