PPC accused of interfering in case

 By JUNIOR UKAHA

THE uncle of a school girl assaulted by two women has accused a senior police officer in Morobe of interfering with investigation into the matter.

Samson Hawime, 39, from East Sepik, told The National last Friday that Morobe provincial police Commander Supt Leo Lamei had sworn at the arresting officer and others involved in the case.

The incident happened at the China Town police station last Wednesday around 4pm. 

Hawime said Lamei drove away with the two women and the arresting officer to the Lae Top Town police station to have the suspects bailed instead of locking them up at the China Town police station.

But Lamei denied that he swore at anyone.

“Yes, I yelled at the officer but I did not swear,” he said.

“I did not interfere with police investigation. 

“The two women were already charged when I got there. 

“I was called by my friend who was there to lend him K100 to bail the two women. 

“I have no interest in the case and I don’t know who these women are.”

Lamei said he had to take women and the arresting officer to the Top Town station because the bail book was kept there and the police station commander there was the authorised person to grant bail. 

But Hawime said his niece was stripped in front of other students and refused to go to school for three days afterwards.

“Bail shouldn’t be granted. It is a serious sexual and child abuse case,” Hawime said.

The girl is a 15-year-old Grade Nine student at the Malahang Technical High School in Lae, Morobe.

She was allegedly assaulted at the Malahang Market around 7.30am last Monday. Hawime said it stemmed from a relationship the girl was having with the son of one of the two women.