Soldiers told to stop conducting police duties

By JAMES GUMUNO
DEFENCE Force soldiers engaged on the four-lane road construction from Kagamuga Airport to Keltiga in Western Highlands must refrain from conducting police duties, Eastern End police commander says.
Assistant Commissioner Nema Mondia said this after reports of soldiers assaulting civilians, police section commander of Mobile Squad 6 John Palaru, and even provincial administrator Joseph Peng.
He said yesterday there was no callout in the province for soldiers to assist police.
“I want to know the boundary of their duty and exactly what they are here for,” Mondia said.
“I also hear that provincial administrator Joseph Neng and section commander of Mobile Squad 6, John Palaru, were assaulted.”
Mondia said the few soldiers who went around assaulting civilians were not above the law and would be arrested and charged.
He said that there were many good and committed soldiers deployed to work on the road.
Mondia said only a few were dragging down the image of the PNGDF.
He said that those soldiers were not police officers, as they made themselves out to be.
Mondia said soldiers found to be acting above the law would be brought to the police station and dealt with accordingly.
“My provincial police commander will call the contingent commander of the Defence Force to peacefully address this issue (today) at the police station,” he said.