Eighteen men arrested after clash with police in capital
POLICE yesterday arrested 18 men at Gabi village in Hanuabada, Port Moresby who allegedly stoned officers investigating a case of illegal betel nut trading.
National Capital District zone one commander Chief Insp Fred Tundu said projectiles were hurled at the policemen during the investigation who had to retreat to seek reinforcement.
He said they later returned to Gabi village and rounded up the 18 men allegedly involved in the confrontation. They were arrested and remanded.
Village leaders later told police the men were mostly “outsiders” who recently had been visiting the village to take part in illegal betel-nut trade. Insp Tundu said the situation in Gabi village was quiet but remained tense.
Police in a statement said the policemen were pelted with stones.
The men later turned their attention to motorists passing through on the main road.
Insp Tundu said the incident happened after they tried to arrest men they had suspected of smuggling betel nuts across the sea into Gabi village.
3 comments
Jail term upto 12 months should teach everyone a lesson what it means to defy national government instructions.
Not only that but about time we also respect our fellow men and women.
People take advantage when penalties are too light so mekim save now or never.
No body wants to defy Government instructions. People defy the way these instructions are carried out by police under the guise of their constitutional role. There are people overcrowding in the city shop fronts, bus stops, in PMVs, not applying social distancing which police are not monitoring. Yet they go after betelnuts in Motu Koitabu villages and cause havoc in aggressive tactics. They just want to be part of the betelnut trade.
Police personels are working very hard during this state of emergency period, the people must understand that, Police cannot do their job efficiently without the help of you citizens of PNG. If you can help just by listening and follow instructions, and obeying orders (harim tok), then, we will be alright. We are all human, and humans make mistakes then we learn from those mistakes and adjust ourselves to be better, So please can we just help by following instructions set by the government, and help our front liners carry out their job correctly and efficienlty, so we could make PNG a better place to live in, and free from Covid-19.
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