Judge slams rogue cops

By JULIA DAIA BORE
AN officer who used a police vehicle to run down two partygoers before jumping off to boot and threaten to kill them with a M16 assault rifle outside the Port Moresby Country Club was last Friday jailed for two years.
But Justice Panuel Mogish of the Waigani National Court immediately suspended the sentence, saying Steven Numbos had been punished enough as he had served more than three months in CS custody while awaiting trial.
Mogish said he had taken into account that Numbos and his family had all suffered greatly as a result of his actions on Sept 13, 2008 at 2am. Numbos was arrested on Sept 22, 2008.
“I am sure your family had suffered during your detainment in Bomana,” Mogish said.
“I am sure they missed you and I am sure you now know what being in CS custody for the three months means and you are now aware it is not a good experience.
“But the seriousness of the offence you committed is that you were a serving policeman.
 “You fired two shots above the heads of the public whom you are supposed to protect in your role as policeman.
“This is a case of abuse of your authority as a police officer. The role of the police officer is supposed to be to protect the public – not to harm them,” he said.
Mogish said rogue policemen had no place in the police force and called on all Papua New Guineans to use their mobile phones to record any police brutality on civilians and have the images publicised in the media.
He said police brutality was becoming increasingly prevalent in the country.
“Capture these rogue policemen in the action of abusing their powers to terrorise their victims,” he said.
“Many Papua New Guineans now have mobile phones which can take photographs.
“Please, use them and take pictures of rogue policemen.
“And make these pictures or videos public information of abuse of powers by some police officers who are terrorising some people within our communities today,” Mogish said.
“Publish them in newspapers or have them aired on television as news items.
“We need to publicise such brutal acts of violence by rogue policemen on innocent public.
“People in other countries do this to bring to the attention such abuses of power; let’s do that here in PNG and show which policemen are abusing their powers.
“In this way, it can be brought to the attention of the authorities; and may be, brutal attacks by rogue policemen on innocent bystanders and the public can be stopped,” Mogish said.