Hospital closed due to probe

By ROSELYN ELLISON
THE St Mary’s Vunapope Hospital in Kokopo, East New Britain, has closed for an indefinite period as police investigate a recent burglary at the property last Tuesday.
Hospital administrator Albert Seri said the incident occurred in the early hours of the morning.
Provincial police commander Chief Inspt Joseph Tabali said he was aware of the incident but had not received a formal report yet, but, had assigned the provincial criminal investigation division (CID) to carry out an investigation.
Seri told The National in Kokopo yesterday that more than 15 youths held up the security guard and forced him to lead them to the administration office.
He said the suspects then broke into the accounts section and into the matron’s office.
Seri said the suspects destroyed computers and took some cash.
“The suspects are at large, however, their identities are known to us and also CID (investigators) are currently carrying out an investigation and arrests will be made soon,” he said.
Seri said the hospital’s management decided to close the operations for an indefinite period to allow police to do their work.
He said this was not the first time the hospital had been broken into.
There had been incidents of break-ins, thefts and harassment of staff.