Police need K5mil to fix helicopter

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
ABOUT K5 million is needed to get the police helicopter Eye in the Sky back in the air in preparation for the national elections as well as other uses in crime response, an official says.
Police Minister William Onglo said the last flight taken by the helicopter was in 2018.
He said with the helicopter not operational, police could not reach rural areas to respond to crimes.
“It costs the Constabulary millions of kina to operate by paying for flights into provinces or districts to fight crime,” he said.
“This is why we have not responded quickly to policing matters, we have to pay to be airlifted to outside centres or into the mountains of this country.
“You ask how police are not responding to sorcery cases, we are struggling to get into the ranges were these crimes are being committed.”
Onlgo thanked NCD Governor Powes Parkop and Laiagam-Porgera MP Tomait Kapili for their funding support for police investigations into the recent sorcery killings and assault in Southern Highlands and Enga.
“Police are working with the resources they have, the support given will now push for arrests as soon as possible,” Onglo said.
Kapili said the work of police was important, however, he called on churches to continue to fight against this belief in sorcery.