3 witnesses claim 86-year-old grandma was shot dead by cops
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| Papua New Guinea’s most wanted killer and robber has been on the run since 2013. |
3 witnesses allege 86-year-old grandma was shot dead by cops
PORT MORESBY: The case of the 86-year-old woman who was supposedly killed when she was caught in a police-Tommy Baker Gang shootout last Dec 6 has taken a nasty twice.
Seven months after, three witnesses have found the courage to speak up, alleging that there was no shootout between the police and the Baker gang of killers and robbers.
They say the police had fired in all directions and Rodha Dick was hit by a bullet.
Another woman, Tania Lucas, who was hit by a pellet, has lived to recall her nightmarish ordeal.
“There was no crossfire between the police and the Baker gang of robbers and killers,” Tania told The National.
Read these for context: https://pngcybermonitor.blogspot.com/2019/07/police-baker-gang-shootout-victims-body.html (Police-Tommy Baker Gang shootout victim’s body still lying in morgue after 7 months) and https://pngcybermonitor.blogspot.com/2019/07/kramer-resolve-case-of-86-year-old.html (Kramer: Resolve case of 86-year-old woman’s body left lying in the morgue for seven months)
Here’s an update of the shooting as published by The National:
Seven months after, three witnesses have found the courage to speak up, alleging that there was no shootout between the police and the Baker gang of killers and robbers.
They say the police had fired in all directions and Rodha Dick was hit by a bullet.
Another woman, Tania Lucas, who was hit by a pellet, has lived to recall her nightmarish ordeal.
“There was no crossfire between the police and the Baker gang of robbers and killers,” Tania told The National.
Read these for context: https://pngcybermonitor.blogspot.com/2019/07/police-baker-gang-shootout-victims-body.html (Police-Tommy Baker Gang shootout victim’s body still lying in morgue after 7 months) and https://pngcybermonitor.blogspot.com/2019/07/kramer-resolve-case-of-86-year-old.html (Kramer: Resolve case of 86-year-old woman’s body left lying in the morgue for seven months)
Here’s an update of the shooting as published by The National:
Witnesses dispute police-Baker Gang shootout killed grandma
UPDATED from published report
By SYLVESTER WEMURUSEVEN months after a police-Tommy Baker Gang shootout in Alotau, villagers have found their courage to recall their nightmare.
Three of them, including a woman who was shot but survived, have emerged to dispute that the 86-year-old grandmother, Rodha Dick, was killed in a crossfire.
“There was no crossfire between the police and the Baker gang of robbers and killers,” Tania Lucas told The National.
Three of them, including a woman who was shot but survived, have emerged to dispute that the 86-year-old grandmother, Rodha Dick, was killed in a crossfire.
“There was no crossfire between the police and the Baker gang of robbers and killers,” Tania Lucas told The National.
Tania, pictured, recalled: “The police arrived about 20 minutes after the gang members had fled into the hill. But policemen, upon arrival in vehicles, started shooting in all directions.
“I was looking through the window when a pellet hit my abdomen. I started crying out in pain.
“The policemen rushed in and asked why I was crying. I told them, ‘you shot me’. Two policemen then drove me to the (Alotau) hospital.”
Tania said she was in the hospital outside the operating theatre when she saw Rodha being brought in by her (Rhoda) family members.
Rodha body has been lying in the hospital mortuary until today.
Eslick Napoleon Jnr Saevaru, 27, and David Bate, 34, who were also at the shooting scene, also claimed that the policemen arrived at their Kivata compound and started shooting in all directions.
Baker and his gang members had earlier botched a raid on Bobona Store.
Saevaru said: “My grandmother was seated in the veranda when she was shot. They (the policemen) then torched the 18 houses in the compound and left.
“I was about 20m away from my grandmother when I saw the policemen shooting. I then ran to the hospital and requested for an ambulance but there was no response.
“I then rushed to the police station for help but only one policewoman was on duty. Everyone had left the station (to go after the criminals).”
Bate said: “The policemen drove into the compound and some were inside the vehicle while the others were on foot when they started shooting in all directions. But the criminals (Baker and his gang members) had already fled to the hilltop.
“I was looking through the window when a pellet hit my abdomen. I started crying out in pain.
“The policemen rushed in and asked why I was crying. I told them, ‘you shot me’. Two policemen then drove me to the (Alotau) hospital.”
Tania said she was in the hospital outside the operating theatre when she saw Rodha being brought in by her (Rhoda) family members.
Rodha body has been lying in the hospital mortuary until today.
Eslick Napoleon Jnr Saevaru, 27, and David Bate, 34, who were also at the shooting scene, also claimed that the policemen arrived at their Kivata compound and started shooting in all directions.
Baker and his gang members had earlier botched a raid on Bobona Store.
Saevaru said: “My grandmother was seated in the veranda when she was shot. They (the policemen) then torched the 18 houses in the compound and left.
“I was about 20m away from my grandmother when I saw the policemen shooting. I then ran to the hospital and requested for an ambulance but there was no response.
“I then rushed to the police station for help but only one policewoman was on duty. Everyone had left the station (to go after the criminals).”
Bate said: “The policemen drove into the compound and some were inside the vehicle while the others were on foot when they started shooting in all directions. But the criminals (Baker and his gang members) had already fled to the hilltop.
“The incident happened about 4pm and everyone in the compound were scared because of the behaviour of the policemen.”
Rodha’s body has remained in the Alotau Hospital mortuary with the bullet still intact in her ribs. Family members are still waiting for a second autopsy to determine the source of the bullet (police or Baker Gang members) to claim her body for funeral rites and burial.
Rodha’s son, Napoleon Saevaru said he had been walking in and out of the Alatou police station but “no one seems to want to address our plight”.
“The Aloutau district court magistrate has signed and approved the second autopsy to be conducted on April 3, 2019. After three months, we are still waiting.
“We (family) were not satisfied with the first post-mortem that was conducted on Dec 18. The bullet that hit my mother was not removed.
“So, we requested a second post-mortem to identify whether the bullet that hit her was from the police or Baker gang members,” he added.
Police Minister Bryan Kramer had on Tuesday asked the police to clarify why Rodha’s body had been left in the mortuary for seven months and to resolve the case.
Rodha’s body has remained in the Alotau Hospital mortuary with the bullet still intact in her ribs. Family members are still waiting for a second autopsy to determine the source of the bullet (police or Baker Gang members) to claim her body for funeral rites and burial.
Rodha’s son, Napoleon Saevaru said he had been walking in and out of the Alatou police station but “no one seems to want to address our plight”.
“The Aloutau district court magistrate has signed and approved the second autopsy to be conducted on April 3, 2019. After three months, we are still waiting.
“We (family) were not satisfied with the first post-mortem that was conducted on Dec 18. The bullet that hit my mother was not removed.
“So, we requested a second post-mortem to identify whether the bullet that hit her was from the police or Baker gang members,” he added.
Police Minister Bryan Kramer had on Tuesday asked the police to clarify why Rodha’s body had been left in the mortuary for seven months and to resolve the case.
Short takes on Tommy Maeva Baker’s reign of terror:
- Baker and his gang of killers and robbers started their reign of terror in Alotau as far back as 2013, committing dozens of robberies and killings in Alatou, Central and Northern;
- over the years, Baker “commanded” up to 40 followers;
- Baker was captured but he was believed to have faked a knee injury and escaped from the Port Moresby Hospital on Oct 5 last year (five prison warders were questioned);
- Baker, who had escaped from prison twice (Milne Bay’s Giligili and Port Moresby’s Bomana prisons), was seriously injured in a shootout with police but he still managed to flee and remains as elusive as ever (a hospital nurse has been arrested for giving medical treatment to Baker but she had refused to reveal his hideout.
A man was also arrested for providing logistics to help Baker flee from police); - in the shootout, provincial lawyer Michael Efi was shot dead, following the burning down of a house belonging to Baker’s right-hand man;
- Baker and his gang members retaliated by burning down police barracks, killing a mother and her child;
- Police described Baker as extremely elusive and dangerous, similar to the late William Nanua Kapris;
- last August, eight Baker gang members were arrested in Port Moresby’s Taurama Beach where they landed after robbing the Bank South Pacific branch in Hagita on June 18;
- on March 14, 11 Baker gang members were slapped with 25 charges in the Alotau District Court for arson, murder, armed robbery, burglary, illegal use of motor vehicles and causing damage; and,
- To date, a total of 16 Baker gang members have been arrested.
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