Drunk youths damage police vehicle in Buin

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
TWO drunkard youths allegedly damaged a new police vehicle in Buin town in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville on Saturday, according to Police Service Commander Assistant Police Commissioner Francis Tokura.
Tokura is now appealing to Bougainville leaders to spend time with their youths if they were serious in preparing for the referendum.
“This is the second incident that indicates that there is no respect for the law here,” he said.
“Just last weekend, youths went on rampage on Buka, burning down 34 houses, stoning a police vehicle and discharging a high powered firearm outside the police station.”
Tokura said yesterday that a police officer on patrol in the vehicle came across two youths drinking alcohol at about 1.30pm.
“He stopped the vehicle and told both of them that they are not supposed to consume alcohol in public place. One of the youth then offered the officer alcohol but the officer rejected it,” he said.
“So the other youth got angry and broke the back windscreen and the rear mirror. The officer returned to the police station, got reinforcement retuned and arrested the youths.”
The youths were charge and detained.
Relatives of the youth then mobilised and made their way to the police station to release them from custody.
Tokura commended the leaders who intervened to stop the relatives and to the youths to be dealt with by the law.
Meanwhile, Tokura said Police Forensic detectives from Port Moresby arrived to help investigations into the burning down of 34 houses on Sohano Island – a minute boat ride from Buka town.
“These houses were looted before been razed down on 02/03/19 after a Buin man was allegedly killed by four suspects. A police vehicle was stoned and firearms discharged at the Police station in retaliation to the Buin man’s murder”.
Tokura said that six suspects involved in damaging the Police vehicle and a suspect involved in disc haring a firearm outside the Police station are now in police custody.