Joint team investigates alleged burning of homes by police

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
A JOINT police-Ombudsman Commission team is investigating the burning of 13 houses allegedly by police in Madang and East Sepik in October, acting police Deputy Comm, operations, Donald Yamasombi says.
“In East Sepik, 13 Wewak-based police officers have been arrested and detained at the Boram jail for allegedly burning down the houses at Kreer village,” he said.
“They have engaged a lawyer to appeal to the courts to grant them bail. After all, the Wewak District Court had remanded them at the jail and so they have to appeal to the courts to grant them bail.
“For Madang, I’m yet to get the process report from the northern region police commander Peter Guinness on the investigations so far.”
DCP Yamasombi said there was a memorandum of understanding with the commission to oversight investigations into police brutality allegations.
“Detectives from the internal affairs directorate and Lae-based mobile squad are now in Madang to investigate the burning of houses at Wagol Settlement allegedly by the police officers in retaliation for the killing of Const Franko Horaki.
“Apart from the internal investigations, Lae-based detectives are investigating the death of the late Horaki, sea piracy incident reported between Karkar and Madang and the armed robbery along the Ramu highway.
“The Lae-based mobile squad is assisting the detectives to investigate the serious incidents in Madang.”
DCP Yamasombi said that he was grateful to the Usino-Bundi MP Jimmy Uguro and Madang MP Bryan Kramer for providing assistance such as funds and vehicles for the police to investigate the incidents in Madang.