More refugees charged

 By ABIGAIL APINA 

ANOTHER group of people held at the asylum seekers facility at the Lombrum naval base in Manus have been charged by police with assault and indecent exposure.

The latest group adds to the 18 charged with assault early this month.

Among those arrested last Friday was a juvenile from Sri Lanka.

Provincial police commander Alex Ndrassel said in Manus yesterday that he had instructed the police investigation team headed by Snr Const Pake Tukon to make arrests last Friday.

He said most of those arrested were from Afghanistan. They were accused of fighting in the regional processing centre.

The juvenile from Sri Lanka was charged with indecent exposure.

He is yet to confirm the total number of those arrested last Friday.

Ndrassel said their files had been prepared and were waiting to appear in Manus district court.

He said they were waiting for senior provincial magistrate Thomas Vagusang to set a time and date for their first appearance in court.

They will appear with the 18 charged early this month.

Ndrassel said of the 17 men, 13 were from Iraq, two from Iran and two from Sri Lanka. 

The lone female also charged with assault is from Sri Lanka.

He said there had been a series of crimes at the centre which led to the formation of an investigation team of 12 police officers headed by Tukon.

The team investigated the crimes and arrested 18 asylum seekers three weeks ago.

He said of the total 276 asylum seekers, 20 were transported back to Australia last week for medical reasons.