Court shuts door after raskols steal vehicle

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO 

THE Mendi District Court closed its door yesterday after its only vehicle was stolen.

Southern Highlands police commander Supt Sibron Papato yesterday said that a local magistrate was driven to his village at Tente, outside Mendi town, on Monday afternoon and two well-known criminals held up the driver and took the vehicle.

Papoto said the two were identified as Albert Mone and Imson Amos, both aged between 30 and 35 years and from Pongia village in Upper Mendi.

Papato said they drove the 10-seater Toyota Land Cruiser to a different village at Nenein Upper Mendi and stripped off all glass windows and screens and seats and were in a process of stripping the engine when police arrived. They escaped with parts of the vehicle.

Papoto said the vehicle was later driven back to Mendi by police mobile squad 10.

He said that Imson and Amos are known car thieves and part of a well-organised crime syndicate operating in Mendi. They had connections with other criminal groups in Enga and Western Highlands, he said.

Papato said the syndicate stole four vehicles belonging to the Education Division, Mongol Secondary School, Works Department and an ambulance belonging to Kikori Health Centre last year.

He said that Mendi court closed from yesterday for an indefinite period – until the two men surrendered to police and vehicle parts were returned.