Violence against children warning! But what if the abusers are cops?
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| Did the cops beat up this schoolboy? |
Violence against children warning! But what if the abusers are cops?
PORT MORESBY: Community Development, Youth and Religion Minister Wake Goi says people committinf violence against children can be fined up to K5,000 or jailed up to two years or both under the Lukautim Pikinini Act.
Whether his reminder is a deterrent is another matter. What matters is action.
And, what happens if the abusers are cops?
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces two news reports on the issue as published by The National:
Schoolboy allegedly beaten up by police
By SYLVESTER WEMURUAN 18-YEAR-OLD schoolboy was allegedly beaten up while being interrogated by the police on July 8.
Samuel Kolas was detained by security guards and handed over to the police for allegedly snatching or stealing a handbag near the Gordon bus stop.
Internal Investigation Unit director Chief Supt Robert Ali confirmed a police report lodged by Kolas and called on Kolas’ family and witnesses to help in investigations.
Now recuperating from his injuries at home, Samuel told The National: “I was returning home from school and was dropped off at the Gordon bus stop.
“As I was walking towards the 9-Mile bus stop, someone from the crowd passed a handbag to me. I was surprised, so I threw the bag away when I saw a group of people running towards me. I ran but was caught by security guards from the stores.”
Samuel, a Grade 8 student at Wardstrip Demonstration Primary School, said a grey and red-striped 5-door car arrived soon after he was detained by the guards at a nearby store.
“A man (not in uniform) alighted from the car, grabbed my hand and dragged me into the vehicle. There were three men in the car and I was taken to the Bomana Police Dog Unit base.
“It was only then that I realised they were policemen in civilian clothes. They started punching me and beating me up with gun barrel, screw driver, vehicle fan belt and a dog chain,” he added.
Samuel’s father Kola Los said: “I am very upset with the police for beating up my son like that. He is now unable to go to school because he needs to recuperate from his injuries at home.
“If you (police) think my son is wrong, why not you arrest and charge him and let him appear in court and let the court penalise him accordingly. Instead, excessive force was used to injure him. Is that the right way for the police to treat suspects?”
Samuel Kolas was detained by security guards and handed over to the police for allegedly snatching or stealing a handbag near the Gordon bus stop.
Internal Investigation Unit director Chief Supt Robert Ali confirmed a police report lodged by Kolas and called on Kolas’ family and witnesses to help in investigations.
Now recuperating from his injuries at home, Samuel told The National: “I was returning home from school and was dropped off at the Gordon bus stop.
“As I was walking towards the 9-Mile bus stop, someone from the crowd passed a handbag to me. I was surprised, so I threw the bag away when I saw a group of people running towards me. I ran but was caught by security guards from the stores.”
Samuel, a Grade 8 student at Wardstrip Demonstration Primary School, said a grey and red-striped 5-door car arrived soon after he was detained by the guards at a nearby store.
“A man (not in uniform) alighted from the car, grabbed my hand and dragged me into the vehicle. There were three men in the car and I was taken to the Bomana Police Dog Unit base.
“It was only then that I realised they were policemen in civilian clothes. They started punching me and beating me up with gun barrel, screw driver, vehicle fan belt and a dog chain,” he added.
Samuel’s father Kola Los said: “I am very upset with the police for beating up my son like that. He is now unable to go to school because he needs to recuperate from his injuries at home.
“If you (police) think my son is wrong, why not you arrest and charge him and let him appear in court and let the court penalise him accordingly. Instead, excessive force was used to injure him. Is that the right way for the police to treat suspects?”
Hefty fine, jail for abusers
By REBECCA KUKUPEOPLE committing violence against children will be fined up to K5,000 or jailed up to two years or both under the Lukautim Pikinini Act, says Community Development, Youth and Religion Minister Wake Goi.
He made the statement following reports of recent child abuses in Port Moresby.
Three children were beaten and locked up in the cell two weeks ago at Boroko and last week, four children were stripped, beaten and poured paint on after they were allegedly caught doing graffiti.
And recently at Gordon bus station, a grade eight student in school uniform was allegedly beaten by police officers.
Samuel Kolas, 18, a grade 8 student at the Wardstrip Primary School, was allegedly beaten by three policemen while he was waiting for a bus.
Goi said that these reports spoke volumes of negligence, abuse and violence perpetrated against children.
“We have come to notice that child abuse is still prevalent in the society,” he said.
“We are calling for the arrest of perpetrators immediately.”
Secretary Anna Solomon supported Goi’s call for immediate arrest, saying that perpetrators should face the full brunt of the law.
Under the Lukautim Pikinini Act section 78, for all forms of violence other than sexual violence the penalty is K5,000 fine or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both,” she said. “The perpetrators must be arrested and charged under the Lukautim Pikinini Act.”
Meanwhile, abuse has continued as Facebook users continued to share and ridicule pictures of children been abused.
Minister for Communications and Energy Rainbo Paita and National Information and Communication Technology Authority chief executive Charles Punaha could not be contacted for comments on the legality of posting pictures of children being abused on social media.
He made the statement following reports of recent child abuses in Port Moresby.
Three children were beaten and locked up in the cell two weeks ago at Boroko and last week, four children were stripped, beaten and poured paint on after they were allegedly caught doing graffiti.
And recently at Gordon bus station, a grade eight student in school uniform was allegedly beaten by police officers.
Samuel Kolas, 18, a grade 8 student at the Wardstrip Primary School, was allegedly beaten by three policemen while he was waiting for a bus.
Goi said that these reports spoke volumes of negligence, abuse and violence perpetrated against children.
“We have come to notice that child abuse is still prevalent in the society,” he said.
“We are calling for the arrest of perpetrators immediately.”
Secretary Anna Solomon supported Goi’s call for immediate arrest, saying that perpetrators should face the full brunt of the law.
Under the Lukautim Pikinini Act section 78, for all forms of violence other than sexual violence the penalty is K5,000 fine or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both,” she said. “The perpetrators must be arrested and charged under the Lukautim Pikinini Act.”
Meanwhile, abuse has continued as Facebook users continued to share and ridicule pictures of children been abused.
Minister for Communications and Energy Rainbo Paita and National Information and Communication Technology Authority chief executive Charles Punaha could not be contacted for comments on the legality of posting pictures of children being abused on social media.
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