Three soldiers to face the music

PAPUA New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) commander Maj-Gen Gilbert Toropo says a decision will be made today on soldiers who were allegedly drunk in Western Highlands recently and were involved in a car accident.
He said the three soldiers arrived in Port Moresby from Mt Hagen last Saturday and would be “tried” today, at the PNGDF headquarters in Murray Barracks.
Preliminary investigations were done by military police in Mt Hagen last week. Maj-Gen Toropo yesterday said soldiers were not supposed to be consuming alcohol while out on operations.
He said the three soldiers from the Moem Barracks in East Sepik were providing security for the LNG project in Hela. Maj-Gen Toropo said they were on administrative runs to Mt Hagen when the incident was reported.
“This is a serious concern within the force,” he said.
“We have issued directives against members of the force who indulge in alcohol while on operations, contrary to our code of conduct resulting in accidents, causing damage to public assets will be dealt with by the civil court and the military court system.”