Police kill member of notorious gang

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
A man recently killed by Lae police was wanted for the killing of four people including two police officers and a string of violent robberies in Milne Bay, acting provincial police commander George Bayagau says.
Bayagau said William Peter Nimo, in his late 30s of Milne Bay and Madang, was a member of the notorious Tommy Baker gang that had killed two police officers, a security guard and a woman during deadly armed robberies since 2013.
“This gang, with about 10 members, has imposed a reign of terror and has robbed monies and goods from business houses throughout the province amounting to almost K2 million,” he said.
Bayagau said Nimo escaped from Bomana jail in Port Moresby 10 years ago while serving a life sentence to join up with the gang.
The gang is predominantly made up of the local Giligili Jail escapees.
Nimo was killed on May 4 during a failed armed robbery in Lae.
Bayagau said the semi-automatic pump rifle found in his possession belonged to Alotau-based Masurina Security Services.
“This firearm was used by the gang to hold up the Tawali Resort on Dec 1 last year which resulted in the killing of a security guard,” he said.
“The gang then proceeded to Alotau and held up a female staffer of Alotau Enterprise on Dec 4, last year.
“The staffer was about to go into the bank with the weekend’s takings when they held her up.
“Police then exchanged fire with the gang and they escaped in the company vehicle while using her as a human shield.
“They then threw her out of the fast-moving vehicle, resulting in her death.
“They escaped with an undisclosed sum of money.”