Police looking for driver of stolen vehicle that killed chief

AN alleged drug addict who regularly terrorised his community, allegedly killed his village chief after running into him in a stolen police vehicle in Bougainville, police commander Francis Tokura says.
Tokura, who is also the deputy police commissioner, said the suspect, who disappeared, drove the Tinputz police station vehicle that he stole on Sept 5, and hit his chief at around 11am yesterday at Aita village along the Buka-Arawa Highway.
Deputy Comm Tokura said chiefs and villagers in the Rau constituency, Wakunai area, Central Bougainville, were searching for the suspect.
He had ordered them not to harm him but capture him and hand him over to police.
“We need to lay appropriate charges on him,” Deputy Comm Tokura said.
“Although he is a drug addict, armed and dangerous, I have requested the chiefs to do their best to catch him alive.
“I gave the responsibility to the chiefs.
“After all, they have never done anything to counsel him.
“This is not the first time he stole a police car.
“He had stolen one police car about 10 years ago and the chiefs brought it back after negotiating with him. So they have to do it again the second time.”
Deputy Comm Tokura said the suspect had burnt down his own house and two other stolen vehicles on Saturday.
He said the man still had vehicles belonging to the police and Bougainville finance minister.
Deputy Comm Tokura said he had dispatched policemen to the area to bring in the suspect with the help of local leaders.
He said the suspect stole the police vehicle on Sept 5 after chasing policemen away with a bush knife after officers shot and killed his brother.