Kakas condemns border destruction

 Enga police commander Supt George Kakas described Friday’s action by a group of 150 policemen from Western Highlands as an “act of hooliganism”.

The police personnel from Mt Hagen arrived in 14 government vehicles and burnt and destroyed private properties, including homes, in Enga. 

“Policemen and women are not supposed to act like village criminals by inflicting unlawful damages on private and state property,” Kakas said.

“Such actions are least expected from serving officers of the police force,” he said of the wilful damage caused to private and state property at an Enga checkpoint.

Police report said damage was done to the new police facilities at the check point.

Kakas said the incident happened after Enga police at the check point ransacked a suspicious vehicle from Baiyer River that was carrying an alleged kidnapped village leader from Yoponda in Wapenamanda.

 Kakas said his men at the gate had the right to check police vehicles from other areas that were going in and out of the province without proper consultation, particularly to carry out  police-related work.

“My men had the right to check “foreign” police officers who were going into the province without following set procedures in terms of letting my command know prior to their trip.

“ In last week’s case, a group of policemen from Western Highlands picked up a man forcefully without consulting my command and tried to take him away when my men at the gate stopped them and rescued the man,” he said.

Kakas said he did not know why a reinforcement team was organised and sent to destroy properties later at the check point, including theproperties of innocent villagers.

He said he would finalize a report on the incident and present it to Highlands police chief Terry Tei today for further action against those involved in criminal acts.

A senior district officer from Wapenamanda, who want to be anonymous said the destrutions at the border was massive and estimated to be worth more than K400,000.

“Three policemen were seriously injured and at the Mambisanda Lutheran hospital intensive care unit while the station commander was disarmed,” the officer said.

“Mass destruction was done to Kumul lodge, Lorma construction base camp, the new police border post and the chech point manned by Enga police officers.”

The officer claimed that the Western Highlands police have consficated three police issued firearms, an AR15 A1 and two short guns with 20 Dark Rum cartons and 50 SP cartons that were consficated at the check point by Enga police and been kept in a store room.

“The cross border arrest made by Western Highlands  police was not made known to the Enga police and also enemy tribesmen were involved in the arrest which was a criminal in nature and breaching of police protocal,” the officer said.

The officer urged police to arrest those responsible for the damages.