Officer yet to get briefing on assault case

 A POLICE station commander in Port Moresby wants to find out why a company section manager was allegedly assaulted by his officers and detained without being charged last Thursday.

Gordon police station commander Inspector Mark Mosinkave said he had not been briefed by the officers on duty about the alleged assault and unlawful detention of The National’s circulation manager Barry Bill last Thursday.

The officers had claimed that Bill was driving under the influence of alcohol.

Bill denied that, saying he was pulled over by police near Unagi Oval at 8pm while driving home.

He said he was detained for 15 hours without any charges laid against him.

He was eventually released on Friday.

He said his mobile phone and K400 cash were taken from the company vehicle he was driving. He claimed he was assaulted by police at the Gordon station.

Yesterday, an officer from Gordon arrived at The National office in Waigani to take Bill in for questioning.

But he had no warrant of arrest and left.

He was supposed to return at 1pm but failed to do so.

Mosinkave said he was going to check the duty roster to find out the officers on duty last Thursday.

“The officers on that case were supposed to brief me,” he said.

Mosinkave said he preferred to make a comment on the matter after being briefed by the officers.

He expects to meet the officers tomorrow.

Bill said he was travelling in the vehicle with a friend who was detained at the station.

The company vehicle was returned yesterday.