Police officers sidelined over lost firearm

THREE police officers attached with Kimbe police station in West New Britain have been suspended from duty last Thursday for 21 days.
Their suspension resulted from an ongoing internal police investigation into the conduct of these officers and how a police issued firearm that was in their immediate custody ended up with a private security company operating in Kimbe.
Outgoing provincial police commander Supt Jim Namora, alleged that the private security company had been reported to be involved in the recent killing of a man in Kimbe town and many other firearm
incidents which have been registered with Kimbe police.
The three police officers will remain suspended until investigations are concluded.
The three, together with the rural police station commander of Sarakolok police station,
have since been arrested and charged with one count each for failure to keep in safe custody a State-issued asset under Section 51 of the Firearms Act.
Namora said additional criminal charges were expected to be laid on them and more officers were expected to be arrested and charged as the internal investigations continued.