Cops to be suspended

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Killers of buai seller to make way for probe

By REBECCA KUKU
POLICEMEN allegedly involved in the killing of a buai (betel nut) seller in Port Moresby’s Rainbow on Monday will be suspended to facilitate investigations.
National Capital District (NCD) and Central Asst Comm Anthony Wagambie Jr, pictured, told The National yesterday that “we have started taking statements from witnesses and identifying the policemen who allegedly assaulted the betel nut seller”.
“In such serious cases (and allegations), the policemen will be suspended after their identities have been determined,” he said.
“Suspensions are to ensure that the policemen do not interfere with witnesses or investigations.”
On Monday, Papua New Guinea’s Independence anniversary day, policemen arrived at the market in Rainbow to round up betel nut sellers.
One of the buai sellers, Peter Pamben, 33, from Enga ran and was chased by policemen to the gates of Port Moresby National High School.
Pamben climbed and tried to jump over the spiked fence.
Witnesses told The National that Pamben got caught in spikes and screamed for help but the policemen pulled him down from the fence, ripping open his abdomen.
They also saw the policemen continuously kicking Pamben who was screaming for help until he passed out.
The following day, the market area in Rainbow turned into a “ghost town” with people fearing unrest.
The Stop & Shop supermarket was closed the whole day.
Pamben’s family members, relatives and friends also gathered outside the Boroko police station to protest wanting to meet NCD Metropolitan Supt Perou N’dranou to have the policemen involved arrested immediately. However, N’dranou declined to meet them and sent station commander James Wafihambu to tell the protesters to follow procedures by lodging police reports.
On Wednesday, Wagambie visited the protestors at Rainbow and assured them that the incident would be thoroughly investigated immediately.
That pacified the angry Rainbow community and protesters, and normalcy was restored with the reopening of businesses and the Stop & Shop supermarket.

10 comments

  • My goodness, murderers in blue uniform. Punish this criminals and have them spend the rest of their time in Bomana. Police brutality in this land is out of the norm, God crazy, they act like hooligans from a very isolated cave never been to college or even formal education for that matter.

  • Rule of law must prevail. Even the citizens must respect and abide by the rules. As the PM has announced if the city life is hard and you are striving to survive through illegal street vending return to the village. The deceased shouldn’t have lost his life if he was doing something worthwhile in the village. However, Police should just have apprehended him instead of inhumanely beating him to death. Finally justice must be served to these rogue cops and also ‘ol man too mas traim harim tok wanpela time’.

  • Police hierarchy should tighten laws on police brutality because this is the 21st century. Those ones involved should be dealt with. And to those who like to play cat and mouse with the cops. You better not try because this action serves as a warning to you

  • Its about time all areas of society should understand processes that are in place. Abiding by the laws. Buai sellers should now know where to sell and should be responsible for littering. Police officers should be using awareness to tell the public about these things. Instead beating people and destroying lives and property.

  • Police are trying their best to control illegal street vendors to keep the city clean and orderly. The sellers are using this tactics to stress out the cops as there is economic incentive to do so. It is really frustrating for the police and regulatory authorities. For cops to apply such inhuman treatment is uncalled for. A possible solution to control such cat and mouse game played by street vendors is to increase penalty for illegal betelnut trade and make it make it an offence for those teasing the police or regulatory authorities with the cat and mouse game.

  • I really support the comment from Mr Samson PUTT because as we all know that, we are rich in every thing to keep us occupy by doing agriculture, fishing and others back in the village rather than coming to towns and cities to commit fatty crimes like street vending.
    Again, laws & regulations are there to protect all of us and also laws are there to prosecute us if we breach the them, especially policemen prime duties are to protect life and property.

  • I really support the comment from Mr Samson PUTT because as we all know that, we are rich in every thing to keep us occupy by doing agriculture, fishing and others back in the village rather than coming to towns and cities to commit fatty crimes like street vending.
    Again, laws & regulations are there to protect all of us and also laws are there to prosecute us if we breach them, especially policemen prime duties are to protect life and property.

  • I saw his last moments. He was literally begging for his life. The policemen involved were really heartless. They should be punished for murder.

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