Yama family: Cops failed to stop destruction

 By DOROTHY MARK

FAMILY members of Madang businessman Peter Yama slammed the actions of Madang police who stood and watched as Yama’s vehicles were stoned on Sunday.

A fight broke out on Sunday between supporters of Usino-Bundi MP Anton Yagama and Yama during the court directed recount of the 2012 election results.

During the melee, five of Yama’s vehicles were smashed and his residence’s fence, gate and louver blades at Nicolai Mclay Drive were damaged.

Yama’s shocked wife, Velda Yama said she was with her two small children in the house and heard stones rain down on her house’s roofs while others hit her window.

“Some men tried to cut open the copper gate and my boys intervened,” Velda said.

She said she did not understand why Yagama would allow that to happen to her and her children while her husband was away.

“Yagama chose the right time and person to attack and that’s me – a simple lady from Central,” she said.

Yama’s son, Ismael said his family and Yagama lived on the same street and he was driving home on Sunday when one of Yagama’s supporters threw a stone and hit the blue ten-seater he was driving.

“I fired a shot from my licensed gun in self defence and tried to protect my family,” Ismael said.

He said when he did that, Yagama’s men also fired shots at him and others attacked with bush knives and stones.

Ismael claimed that after police arrived, they did not discharge warning shots to disperse the angry crowds.

“I saw the policemen just watching as Yagama’s men smashed all the vehicles parked outside my brother’s house,” Yama’s brother Joe Yama said.

He said all happened in front of policemen in full uniform.

At Jomba police station on that same day, policemen in full uniform were chased by Yagama’s men who smashed one of Yama’s vehicles under their watch while the driver was having a meeting with the provincial police commander.

“What’s wrong with you policemen,” Joe asked.

Joe said there was something wrong with Madang police on Sunday as they did act to prevent people from damaging his brother’s vehicles and property.