Suspects arrested for damaging police vehicle

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
SEVEN suspects accused of damaging a police vehicle in Bougainville during a rampage are in police custody, according to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Police Service commander assistant Commissioner Francis Tokura.
“We have detained them for stoning vehicles in Buka town on Saturday night that also damaged a police vehicle when they went on rampage after a Buin man was allegedly murdered on Sohano Island on Friday night,” he said. Tokura said police released an off duty police officer after suspecting him to be involved in damaging the vehicles because he was founding consuming alcohol with the suspects.
He said the situation was calm after relatives of the victim assured police to conduct investigation.
“It was opportunists who went on rampaged, looted, ransacked and burnt down 34 houses belonging to Government offices in the old Government compound on Sohano Island – a minute boat ride from Buka town,” Tokura said. “These opportunists then advanced to the police station and fired shots.
“We believe they wanted to remove the four suspects from the cells to kill them.
“This caused panic among the 50 detainees and prisoners held in the cells and they broke out.
“Fifteen are now on the run while the cell guards discouraged the rest from escaping. We have now transferred the remaining ones to Beikut prison.”
Tokura said the incident started on Friday night when a Buin man went to the old compound on Sohano Island to see another man who was believed to have owed him money.
“A fight broke out between the men and some suspects residing in the compound joined in and bashed up the Buin man,” he said.
“Police then intervened and took the Buin man to the hospital. But unfortunately he died from his injuries at the hospital.
“So we went to Sohano and arrested four suspects who are now detained.”