Port Moresby Governor Powers Parkop calls on Police to probe Hanuabada shooting

PNG's Port Moresby  Governor Powes Parkop has called on Police to  investigate the shooting dead  two young men from Hanuabada village, allegedly by police last week.

Mr Parkop said in a media statement that "the killings are completely unnecessary and I join the relatives and community in the villages to call for a quick investigation into the matter to bring those responsible to justice and he was saddened to hear the deaths of those two young men".

Mr.Parkop believes the shooting  might have arisen as a result of police responding to a request from the villagers to clear out a betelnut market in the village ad it  is well known in the Motu-Koitabu villages that betelnut vending and smuggling had been occurring in the villages in breach of the betelnut ban in the city.

"We have restrained our enforcers from enforcing the ban in our villagers as a sign of respect to our people and leadership of the Motu-Koitabu villages," Mr Parkop said.

He said that betelnuts had been sold openly in Tatana, Baruni, Hanuabada, Taurama, Pari and other villages but NCDC enforcers had made no attempt to stop or shut them down since the ban was announced in October 2013.

"Our reserve police and rangers have not been shutting down these markets," Mr Parkop said.

"Nevertheless, we pledge to fully cooperate with investigators to ensure that if police acted wrongly we will assist to pay reasonable compensation and assist in any criminal prosecution that arises."

As an expression of their deepest regret at this unnecessary killings and condolences to the families, Mr Parkop’s office would contribute K50,000 to the parents and relatives of the two deceased to meet basic funeral expenses and associated cost.