Police to probe law enforcers

A SENIOR policeman and an auxiliary constable in East Sepik are being investigated for the death of an 18-year-old student at the Pagwi section of the Sepik Highway.
East Sepik police commander Supt Albert Beli said a post-mortem had been done on the student allegedly accidently shot by the auxiliary policeman at a checkpoint on Dec 17. He said the senior policeman would be investigated on why he allowed the auxiliary policeman to carry a police-issued firearm.
Supt Beli said a team of CID police would be sent to Maprik to investigate.
“I am happy with the auxiliary policemen and women in the province who are currently assisting the regular police. They are doing fine but they must not hold onto police-issued firearms because they’re not trained to use that and when anything goes wrong while in possession of the firearm, they will be held responsible.
“Their supervisors will also be questioned,” Supt Beli said.
He said the auxiliary policeman was with other policemen at a checkpoint when they stopped a vehicle.
He said according to the police report the auxiliary constable was using the gun barrel and butt as a weapon to hit the youth.
Beli said the gun accidentally went off and the bullet hit the back left shoulder blade, penetrating the student’s chest.
Supt Beli said the bullet also deflected and injured the foot of a woman pastor travelling in the same truck. The deceased was Belden Bakamaule from Kitikim village, North Wosera who was to be in garde 11 at Brugam Secondary School this year