Police must sharpen investigative skills

 THERE has been another senseless killing, this time by cold-blooded murderers in the National Capital District.

Former journalist cum landowner consultant Harold Farapo was murdered in the early hours of Saturday morning. 

His body was mercilessly dumped in the sea off Tatana Island on the outskirts of Port Moresby.

Farapo’s murder comes a week after a spate of brutal killings in Lae, starting on New Year’s Day.

Young mother Moanna Barnanga Pisimiwas shot dead after a high speed car chase by police along the Backroad in the early hours of Jan 1. And during the weekend, long-time Lae businessman Tan Tiam Teng was found murdered in his residential unit at Eriku. Lae police reported three more killings to give the industrial hub a dismal first week of the New Year.

As we stated with the Lae killings, those evil-minded killers who were responsible for these horrendous crimes must be pursued and apprehended so as to face the full force of the law.

Farapo was a struggling businessman unlike Moana Pisimi, who owned a successful construction firm with her husband and Tan Tiam Teng, who owned a prominent stationery supplies business.

Despite owning a company, Farapo was struggling to sustain his young family, especially after the death of his wife, Evonne, in November 2013.

Farapo, the eldest son of former prominent diplomat Tony Farapo, was 40-years-old and supposedly in the prime of his life.

However, his wife’s demise at hands of cervical cancer reportedly affected his health, his family and his work.

We understand that his six children – four sons and two daughters – did not attend school last year because of financial difficulties faced by their father.

To add to their woes, Farapo and his children were forced to rent a one-bedroom unit at the notorious Morata suburb.

Nonetheless, he was able to put food on the table for his children and continue his consultancy with the Kikori Gas Pipeline Landowners’ Association.

Farapo’s tragic passing is devastating for his children who will now grow up as orphans without the care and love of both parents.

We extend our condolences to his children and hope that Farapo’s business friends and associates will help them in their time of bereavement and beyond.

The New Year has got off to a horrific start in Lae and Port Moresby and our law enforcement authorities, particularly the police force, need to step up and curb the rising crime rate that is causing much alarm within these two cities.

Undoubtedly, the police force is to blame for the senseless acts of brutality and violence by its rogue elements that is causing so much fear among our people.

As we have stated time and again, the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary consists of a majority of hardworking, respectable and diligent rank and file members. 

Therefore, it is their duty and responsibility to stop the rot that is accumulating within the constabulary.

The police force will only function effectively and focus on its core business of crime prevention if it is not inundated with internal issues such as brutality and violence caused by rogue elements.

We commend Police Com­missioner Geoffrey Vaki for his prompt action in dispatching a team of senior investigators to probe the Lae killings, especially the fatal shooting of Moanna Pisimi.

While Lae police have been blamed by the community at large for the shooting, nothing is conclusive until the investigation is completed and a report presented to the police hierarchy.

Nonetheless, the family, relatives and friends of the Harold Farapo will be keen to know if Commissioner Vaki will order a similar investigation into his tragic death.

Although NCD police are not among the suspects, this case still warrants a thorough and efficient probe that should not leave any stones unturned.

Crime investigation is a specialist craft and with so many murder cases happening in our major urban centres, it is imperative that police detectives sharpen their skills and effectively pursue these criminals who are turning our paradise into a hell hole.