Cops suspended over deaths

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
TWO policemen have been suspended pending investigations into the death of three men and the wounding of two others on Tuesday night at 9-Mile in Port Moresby.
Assist Comm of Police Anthony Wagambie Jr, the commander for the National Capital District and Central, told The National that a group of armed men had been tracking a bus arriving from Gulf.
One of its passengers was a gold-buyer who was one of three men shot. The others were a student and a passenger yet to be identified.
“The criminals, in a stolen vehicle, tailed the bus and as it entered the Morobe Block at 9-Mile, they stopped it,” he said.
“One of the armed men went into the bus straight to where the gold-buyer was sitting at the back.
“He pointed a pistol at the gold-buyer but the gold buyer opened fire first.
“Unbeknown to the gang, the gold buyer had a licenced pistol for self-protection.
“A shootout between the criminal and gold buyer ensued. The gang member ran out of the bus.
“As soon as he was out of the bus, the other gang members indiscriminately opened fire at the bus, forcing passengers to hide under the seats.”
He said some people at the scene identified the two police officers at the scene.
It is yet to be established whether they were also involved in the exchange of fire.
“Eye-witness statements are being gathered and the policemen have been suspended to ensure a proper investigation involving eye-witnesses is conducted,” he said.
The incident occurred between 11pm and midnight.
The investigation on the robbery and murder is being conducted by officers from Homicide, Internal Investigations Unit and the Policing-the-Police Task Force.