Five cops charged

By KEVIN TEME
FIVE police officers face charges relating to the assault of their colleagues from the National Capital District on Monday, it has been confirmed.
The five had been released on K300 bail each.
Three are members of the Air Transport Unit based at the McGregor police barracks near Bomana. Two are from the Mt Hagen mobile squad unit, MS5.
Chief director of the NCD criminal investigation division Mark Yangen said more arrests could be made as investigations continued.
The three members of the ATU are Steven Numbos, 39, from Kragur village in Wewak, East Sepik province; Lindsay Kiapen, 37, from Mulosaida village in Losuia, Milne Bay; and Watkins Tolaup, 45, from Ruburua village in Kokopo, East New Britain province.
The two from the Mt Hagen-based MS5 are Willie Aiga, 49, from Rurunat in Bogia, Madang province, and AK Kukuma, 44, from Koglamp in Mt Hagen.
All the vehicles and firearms they confiscated from the victims of the assault had been returned to the Boroko police station.
NCD metropolitan commander Supt Peter Guinness could not be contacted for comment.
But Yangen said more arrests were expected as evidence became clearer.
“Yes, they are all out on K300 bail each,” he said.
“We cannot keep them due to the current situation and we are expecting more arrests. They will not hide.”
The incident happened around midday on Monday when a group of armed officers arrived in police vehicles and surrounded the group from Central who were travelling in an unmarked vehicle.
Police cannot confirm the motive behind the attack. But sources said the armed officers had received a tip-off to apprehend the group travelling in the unmarked vehicle.
“They could have acted on a tip-off or so but they were wrong to assault them,” Yangen said.
The incident stirred up anger in the police force with politicians being blamed for trying to create a division within the force.
Assistant police commissioner Simon Kauba, Guinness, NCD/Central ACP Francis Tokura and superintendant operations Andy Bawa yesterday tried to defuse the tension among the officers and urged them to return to work.
But the policemen told their bosses that they must send back the mobile unit deployed from the highlands and charge all those involved in the assault.
“Our demand is that we want them to withdraw and move back to their respective province.
“Those involved in the beating of our six officers must be brought to justice. Otherwise, the stand-off will continue,” a police spokesman said.
They also wanted to deal directly with Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga who had declined to receive their petition on Tuesday at the Gordon police station. Guinness accepted it on Kulunga’s behalf.
When Bawa was asked about the situation on the ground, he said: “Well, you have heard and seen it yourself and that is the current situation.”