Local accuses police of negligence

 A JIWAKA businessman has accused police of negligence for failing to stop a group of men from destroying his fuel station and guest house.

Managing director of Waghi Valley Traders Robert Mundie said the incident occurred on Saturday morning following a brawl at the nearby Banz Club.

He said five fuel pumps were destroyed and PNG Power Ltd meter boxes vandalised.

Mundie said he was invited to a fundraising dance where he gave K1,000.

However, a man from the KNK tribe from the North Waghi area started the trouble when he attacked him.

Mundie said he managed to get home but the tribesmen destroyed the fuel pumps valued at more than K300,000.

He said Banz police were called.

“We called them up at around 3am but they arrived at around 7am after the damage had been done,” he said. 

“If the police had intervened earlier they could have saved my properties.”

He accused the police of negligence.

People at the scene when police arrived vented their frustration at them by stoning their vehicles.

A senior police officer in Jiwaka said the response by the officers on duty that night was unacceptable and that they were investigating the incident.

Mundie claimed that some of the police officers later entered the guesthouse and destroyed doors, a hair salon and the managing director’s office. 

He alleged that K12,000 was taken from his office.

“The policemen didn’t have a warrant to search the premises and damage the properties,” he said.

“They should be protecting properties and lives and not to destroy or steal,” he said.