Police deny claims over attack on Jiwaka police station

POLICE have refuted claims by the Kumuka Ngants Kapangkup (KNK) tribe that an attack on the Banz Police Station in Jiwaka was by opportunists around the Banz area.
ACP Eastern End Anton Billie said claims by tribe youth leader Martin Kasbal that police had provoked them to a rampage was untrue, with police just performing their duties. “I take note of what has been said by the leaders of
the tribe, however, police are awaiting the tribe to hand over the suspects (who caused) the destruction and assaulted a police officer in the station and also the attempted burning of homes of the police officers,” he told The National.
“The shooting of the deceased is subject to a police investigation and a post-mortem.
“I have been made aware of allegations of police involvement in the burning down of homes in the Waghi Valley after the Banz incident, that is also news because no complaint has been laid and my office has yet to receive any complaint.”
Kasbal said: “Why would our youths go on a rampage like this and destroy the police station and the police quarters and do some other stuff as reported?
“We felt we were not given the chance to give our side of the story to reporters who interviewed people regarding this issue.
“The young man shot was not a suspect.
He was not a common criminal.
What crime has he caused that enabled police to call him a suspect? We are waiting for the post-mortem result as well as the forensic evidence to know the extent of the injuries sustained and how the shooting culminated.”
ACP Billie, however, said police would await the handing over of suspects wanted for the destruction of the police station.