Police officers from the NCD and Central Command with the assistance from Mobile Squad and Dog Unit Directorate headed by Commander NCD/Central acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Turi were at Vanapa Brown area along the Hiritano Highway to strongly warn the Goilalas living along the highway that they must refrain from going into the main Highway if they have problems amongst themselves.
The twenty Police vehicles lead by Commander Turi and Central Provincial Provincial Police Commander Joseph Salle assisted by Staff Officer to NCD Metropolitian Superintendent Chief Inspector Sengi Laki and NCD Zone two Commander Chief Inspector Tobby Hamago were at Vanapa and Veikabu areas where the Goilalas reside who strongly warned them that if they happen to do road blocks again I’m the future the police will come for them.
The team also told the youths who gathered that police will come in full force like they did to make sure those who continously disturb the public must vacate the area and move to Goilala because they are not land owners there but are sellers residing there.
Mr. Turi told both sides of these people who had been fighting amongst themselves that their problem is their problem and it had come to the attention of the police and police will assit them to investigate and apprehend those who are involved in the killing of more than five people.
He said the highway must be free and it must be free always for the travelling public.
He also assured them that police investigation would start as soon as possible. He said those who are affected must assist the police investigators so they will arrest and prosecute those involved. He also added that it had been observed that most cases involving Goilalas are very hard to investigate because the witnesses do not help police.
Community leaders from both sides were also given the opportunity to speak, which they assured the police that they would speak to their youths not to repeat the same again.
The Chairman of the Gulf PMV association was also present to air out his grievances about the continuous harassment they get from the people living along that section of the road. He thanked the poloce for their response in addressing the issue.
According to police report, the road blocks that took place since Wednesday were because of a death that took place, which police alleged that it was retaliation. The report further stated that four people residing at Veikabu were killed a week earlier. The settlers at Veikabu settlers claimed that they were killed by the Goilalas residing at Vanapa.
With that on Wednesday, another man was killed that led to the roadblock along the Veikabu section of the road that made it very difficult for travelling along Hiritano Highway.
PPC Central and Goilala Member of Parliament visited the people on Thursday and warned them not to go into the road but that didn’t happened which lead to Commander NCD/Central and police units to travel to that location and strongly warned them not to do that again.
The public travelling along that section of the highway are encouraged to travel with care and must report anything suspicious if they see happening there.