Mt Hagen police compensate Komkui community

 By FRANCIS POKA

THE Komkui people, in the Warakum police dog unit outside Mt Hagen city, have received compensation from police for the use of their land.

The landowners had lodged a claim for K300,000 for a portion of land where the police dog unit is based. K150,000 was paid last month by police assistant commissioner Highlands region Teddy Tei.

The money was distributed  last Sunday among  the 11 clans of the Komkui tribes living in Warkum by principal landowner Pr Gabriel Bak in front of community  leaders, councillors and neighbouring communities at Walbel village. 

Bak thanked the police department for the payment and said the land near the town was valued  at up to K4 million.

Bak said members of the tribe were law abiding citizens who wanted to show all that Western 

Highlanders could peacefully stay away from crime.

He told the people to look after the police and assist them to fight crime in the province.

Kupi councillor Paul Rumints described Bak as a honest leader who for the first time was paying out land compensation money in public for all to see.