Dispute over vehicle

 

 

By MAL TAIME

FIVE policemen sustained injuries, the windscreen of their four vehicles were smashed and two locals were admitted at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital, allegedly shot by police last week.
Minj police in the Jiwaka Province were attacked by villagers when they went to Tolu village to retrieve a vehicle.
 

Acting Police Station commander Michael Kauba said last Wednesday afternoon they went to Tolu to recover the vehicle after they received a formal complaint.
He said the entire tribe set up several roadblocks when they went to their village and recovered the vehicle owned by son of prominent businessman and leader Simon Kaiwi.
Insp Kauba said Mr Kaiwi’s son was driving the vehicle to Banz when he was held up and his vehicle was stolen and taken to Tolu village.
He said his men fired warning shots into the air to disperse the people manning the roadblocks.
 

Mr Kauba denied his policemen shot the two men that sustained gun pellets and were admitted to Kudjip Nazarene Hospital.
He condemned the actions of the people and warned that the entire tribe would face the full force of the law. He also appealed to the leaders to cooperate with the police and bring the culprits to justice.
However, Tolu Ward Councillor Paul Gual said his people attacked the police because they went on a rampage at a local market and assaulted some people. Mr Gual claimed the fully armed policemen were under the influence of alcohol, adding his people intend to sue the police and the state damages.
He said the incident occurred after a Henry Tapi from Minj sold his 15-seater PMV bus to Koimo Wal of Tsenglap for K24,000. Mr Wal paid K3000 in cash and K21, 000 was in bank cheque.
 

Mr Gual said a verbal agreement was signed before the vehicle was paid, but three days later Mr Koimo realised that the vehicle was not in a good running condition.
He said Mr Koimo told Mr Tapi to return the money but he was in Port Moresby and did not.
“Last year, Mr Koimo lodged a formal complaint at Minj police station and wanted to arrest Mr Tapi but some prominent leaders pledged that Mr Simon Kaiwi would sort out the debt,” Mr Gual claimed.
 

According to a copy of a statutory declaration form the Post-Courier sighted, Mr Tapi agreed and signed a statutory declaration form at Mt Hagen court house on November 2, 2012, saying he (Mr Tapi) would refund the money at the end of March 2013.
He refuted a media report in the other daily last Friday that the vehicle was stolen.
Mr Gual said the vehicle was not a stolen vehicle, saying that Mr Koimo brought the vehicle to his village so they would negotiate for his money.
He said they were confused and asked if there was a formal search warrant for the police to enter their area.