Police to investigate allegation after Sir Peter lodges complaint

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
ENGA Governor Sir Peter Ipatas has lodged a complaint with police against a lawyer who had alleged that the provincial government misused royalty payments from the Porgera mine.
Sir Peter also rubbished claims that he was behind the alleged assault on the lawyer by a policeman last Sunday.
“It is a political stunt so I wrote to the police in Boroko on Friday,” Sir Peter said.
“He (lawyer) says he was assaulted on Sunday evening.
“Police will (investigate) what happened.
“Why did he put this on (social) media?
“He has defamed me by posting it on Facebook.”
Sir Peter told The National that the lawyer had questioned the use of K1.6 billion of the Porgera mine royalty by the Enga government.
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner David Manning has confirmed that police had identified the officer who allegedly assaulted the lawyer on Sunday.
“We have had a meeting with the lawyer,” Comm Manning confirmed.
On Monday, Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations Donald Yamasombi said the police officer had been questioned over the alleged assault on the lawyer.
“The policeman has been identified,” he said.
“(He) asked the assistance of the task force unit to pick up a suspect (the taskforce did not know who it was).
“The officer said that it was a case he was dealing with and needed assistance in picking up the suspect.
“So they assisted the policeman to pick up the suspect.
“It wasn’t until after the man was locked up in the police cell that the task force became aware of the allegations made by the man they had locked up,” Yamasombi said.
National Capital District/Central police commander Assistant Commissioner Anthony Wagambie Jr told The National that the Boroko Police Internal Affairs Unit would be investigating the police brutality allegations.