Police personnel arrested and charged

A senior police officer was arrested and charged for supplying a set of police uniform, a firearm and ammunition to a civilian in Port Moresby.

Assistant Commissioner of Crimes Victor Isouve said the Commander of Six-Mile Police Station, Senior Inspector Fred Bare, was arrested and charged on August 9 after the Boroko District Court imprisoned a man to three months with hard labour for impersonating a policeman.

ACP Isouve said the convicted prisoner, named as Scott Dylan, from Bougainville, was dressed as a policeman and holding onto a police firearm and ammunition when he was arrested by detectives at Six-Mile early this year.

“The court sentenced Dylan after it was disclosed that he was not a police reservist. The conviction then prompted detectives investigating the case to turn their attention on Senior Inspector Bare, for his part in supplying the uniform, firearm and ammunition,” explained Isouve.

In a separate incident, a policewoman was arrested and charged in Alotau, Milne Bay Province, on August 7 for perverting the course of justice, ACP Isouve said.

“Constable Sheila James, 31, of Huhuna village, allegedly failed to effect arrest on a policeman suspected of raping a minor in the Milne Bay Province.”

ACP Isouve alleged the policewoman, attached to the Internal Investigation Unit, was tasked to investigate a rape case implicating a policeman identified as Constable Danley Kotapu but she failed to perform her duty.

“A complaint was registered with Alotau police after Constable Kotapu allegedly raped a school girl in August 2015 but no action was taken by Constable James.

“Detectives from Port Moresby went to Alotau to investigate some outstanding cases when PPC Milne Bay Chief Superintendent Joseph Morehari referred the file to them and Constable James was arrested and charged for perverting the course of justice.

“The investigators also arrested Constable Kotapu for sexual crimes committed against a minor,” said the ACP.

These latest arrests of police personnel indicates the Royal PNG Constabulary management’s intent to weed out corruption within the organization, Isouve stated.

“Tougher actions must be taken to rid corruption from within the organisation in order to restore public trust and confidence.”