Cops, Chinese charged

 FIVE policemen and two Chinese nationals were yesterday arrested and charged with the armed robbery of TS Trading at Malalaua, Gulf, last Saturday.

Four of the five police officers are mobile squad officers nearing retirement.

The Chinese businessmen is alleged to have led them to Malalaua and were arrested with a personal bodyguard from Southern Highlands.

A senior police officer yesterday said the five policemen, the two Chinese nationals and their bodyguard had been charged with armed robbery.

“The policemen have been suspended and dismissed from the force effective of their arrest and will be appearing before the Waigani Committal Court for mention,” the officer said.

Two Criminal Investigations Division officers allegedly involved in the robbery are on the run and police appealed for them to voluntarily come in for questioning.  

“The Police Special Service Division and police headquarters or police commanding officers of NCD never gave approval for their entry into Gulf.

A frustrated Gulf provincial commander Lincoln Gerari said: “This kind of police behaviour must be stopped; it is police corruption carried out in broad daylight.

“I am now issuing a stern warning to policemen from NCD that if they want to come into my province and conduct investigations of cases they must follow the proper procedure by liaising properly with their commanders in NCD such as the metropolitan superintendent and the provincial commander here for approval before they come into the province,” Chief Insp Gerari said.

“I will now not hesitate to shoot policemen entering my province of command on sight if they do not have permission to enter the province. I am very concerned about the nature of this case.”