Robbery suspects in custody

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
ELEVEN suspects in a deadly robbery in Nuku, West Sepik, are in custody waiting for committal proceedings in the Vanimo District Court, police commander Chief Insp Moses Ibsagi says.
“All suspects have been charged respectively with robbery in company of others and armed with dangerous weapons and are detained at the Vanimo jail,” he said.
“They were allegedly involved in robbing a public motor vehicle at Wamarau village on Oct 5 that resulted in the death of three passengers.”
Chief Insp Ibsagi said the suspects were brought into Vanimo from Nuku last Thursday and were remanded.
“They will appear before the Vanimo District Court next month,” he said.
“We are continuing investigations.
“These suspects had held up passengers from Nuku and Lumi, who were en-route to Maprik in East Sepik to sell vanilla beans in the early hours of Oct 5.”
Meanwhile, Chief Insp Ibsagi said three armed suspects allegedly robbed a logging company in Aitape Jaya, Aitape, last week and got away with K13,000.
“Although they have escaped, we know them and their residences,” he said.
Chief Insp Ibsagi said they started their festive operations on Nov 25.
“However, officers are yet to be deployed from Vanimo to the districts to help out due to the funding situation.
“At the moment, we are monitoring the movement of people and illegal activities, especially the smuggling of Indonesian-made firecrackers and cigarettes along the Vanimo-Wutung road.”