Prime Minister’s escort Port Moresby-based police assault men, women & children in Popondetta

CAN the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Hon. Peter O'Neill explain why a group of policemen who were flown in to Popondetta yesterday (Tuesday 03/05/17) as part of the security detail saw fit to hold a group of men, women and children and physically and verbally assault them?

Residents have posted in Facebook clear evidence of the abuse at gunpoint. A group traveling into town to welcome the Prime Minister were ordered at gunpoint to lie on the ground. They were kicked and punched. The group included some children. It is not clear if the children were also assaulted by police.

The Post Courier reported the PNC side of the story ONLY and ignored what the PM’s police bodyguards did.

Hubert Isemba said: "This is what happened in Popondetta Town yesterday. Villagers traveling into Popondetta Town to be part of the Program to open the New Theater been subjected to abuse and threats by Police flown in from Port Moresby. The Villagers were told to disembark from the vehicle they were traveling in and told to lay on the ground and subjected to abuse BOTH physical and verbal"

Police brutality is one of the highlighted issue in Papua New Guinea. During the cause of the same week when this happen on Oro, back in Port Moresby police personnel go racksacking and terrotising street vendors in down-town Port Moresby and Gerehu suburb.