Senior cop: I did not abuse powers

THE senior police officer in the NCD Central Command who was accused of unprofessional conduct and abuse of process by a businessman in Port Moresby has denied the allegations levelled against him, The National reports.

He explained that the person accusing him, Simeon Manihia, was purported to have a legal relationship with his adopted daughter but that, he claimed, was false because they were just living together in a de facto relationship.

Manihia told The National on Sunday that the officer had abused his position as a senior police officer by getting involved in a trivial family matter.

He claimed the officer had used his position to get armed policemen to front up at his Tokarara home last Friday evening over differences over a nine-month-old child.

However, according to the senior officer: “Manihia has maliciously released a one-sided story to The National, alleging that I had not followed proper procedures and that I had used my position to get my officers to go to his home and harass him and his relatives.

“It was my adopted daughter who had laid a complaint and sought police assistance to go and get her baby who was still breast-feeding.

“The mother had gone to get her baby earlier but Simeon refused her request outright, and swore and threatened her, which resulted in her seeking police assistance.

“That was when police responded and I, as a father and a grandfather, felt obliged to follow my daughter and get the nine-month-old baby who is still breast-feeding and needed her mother’s  care more than the father’s.”

He said the claim by Manihia that armed policemen had entered his premises was not true.

“I was there and nobody was armed when we went into the area; the armed officers were outside the gate.

“A senior NCO and a member of the unit accompanied my daughter into the yard to get the child for fear of being attacked by her partner.

“I wish to categorically deny the allegations that I had used my position or rank to get policemen to do their duties.

“Like any other person or member of the public, my daughter was threatened by her husband so she had to seek police assistance.”