Outstanding fuel debt hampers police

SOUTHERN Highlands police cannot use their vehicles due to lack of fuel.
Provincial Police Commander Supt Jimmy Onopia told The National last Thursday evening from Mendi that a fuel distributor, AMK Investment Limited who normally supplied them fuel on credit basis stopped supplying fuel as of last Wednesday.
Supt Onopia said that the creditor stopped supplying the fuel as the police department owe K40,000 to the supplier.
We can’t attend to complainants because we can’t pour water into the vehicles tanks, he said.
He said that the outstanding K40,000 was carried forward from state of emergency operation some four years back.
Mr Onopia said until the outstanding debt is settled and new payments were made, police would be without vehicles.
He said that this is a big blow to the police operation in the province trying hard to minimize escalating law and order problems.
He said this would not prevent policemen carrying out their duties adding, they would be attending to bigger cases reported in the province.
He said apart from the fuel problem, all the police vehicles have smooth tyres and poses a big threat to the lives of the policemen.
Meanwhile, Supt Onopia said that one of the longest serving members of the force working in the province passed away.
He said that Late Chief Sgt Nelson Mogeah, from Ialibu district who served the force for about 40-years collapsed last Thursday morning outside his house and died.
He said the cause of his death is not known.