Overwhelmed with emotion the Deputy Commissioner of Police for Special Operations, Donald Yamasombi fought back tears as he explained to PNG Hausbung how much it meant for the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) after hearing the guilty verdict yesterday of the four men who were arrested and charged for attempting to smuggle illegal substances out of the country.
The Deputy Commissioner highlighted that this was a monumental achievement for the constabulary, stating that this is a case in point for the police and was happy that the National Court was able to get a verdict.
“I was with my case officer, the arresting officer and there were a lot of issues that we overlooked that the Judge highlighted. Going through this case we have come to learn a lot and at the same time, like I said, this is a case in point for us,” said Yamasombi.
He mentioned that the RPNGC will be using this as a steppingstone. The DCP explained that this puts them in a situation in which they can establish where they are at and how they can work to do better moving forward.
“Achieving a verdict like this really gives us that confidence.”
Speaking from past experiences with these sorts of cases, the DCP stated that the kind of operational requirements and processes that they go through has given the police a huge insight as to what it means for them and their field of duty.
“It’s a big step forward for us now, learning all these things and seeing where we are going.”
He said this is by far the largest haul of narcotics confiscated in the pacific by any law enforcement agency.