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Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Solomon Islander on the run in Port Moresby from police and immigration authorities

An un-named Solomon Islander who was banned from entering Papua New Guinea and alleged involvement in illegal activities is “on the run” after returning last month without proper papers.

Police could not indicate yesterday where he was but pointed fingers at the Foreign Affairs office for his allegedly improper return to the country.

The Post-Courier tracked down the foreigner, who is living in a Port Moresby suburb and running a rental business with his PNG wife.

The Foreign Affairs office in Solomon Islands yesterday confirmed the man had been banned from travelling to PNG.

They were still seeking clarification on the matter with the PNG Foreign Affairs Department when they learned the man was already in Port Moresby.

“We do not know how he was allowed to get through to Port Moresby,” the officer said.

The Post Courier Newspaper tried to get clarification from the PNG Foreign Affairs on the case because he had been banned earlier and its reporter was told that they will look into the case, but that there was nothing in writing.

“ . . . . went on his own will and whatever courses of action that will be taken are his own to deal with.”

The officer said they were still in the dark about how he was allowed to travel to Port Moresby because as far as they understood all airlines had been notified after the previous banning not to uplift the man to go to PNG.

Port Moresby police and immigration officials confirmed with the Post-Courier that the foreigner had arrived on July 7 and was detained at the Port Moresby international Jackson’s airport for six hours.

Later he was taken to the Boroko cell block to be locked up but was released on medical grounds because he fainted. He was taken to a private clinic and later Port Moresby General Hospital’s intensive care unit where he was placed under security surveillance. After a week, when he was supposed to be taken to Bomana prison, security officials and immigration found him missing. Since then he has been on the run from authorities.

The Solomon Islander is also alleged to have been involved in questionable activities in Lae, Madang, Goroka and Kerema.

In 2005, a magistrate in Lae fined the man K1500 in defaulty six weeks in jail for having lived illegally in Papua New Guinea for the previous 10 years. The court ordered that he remain in police custody until he had paid his court fine. The islander reportedly asked that he be allowed to travel to Port Moresby to apply for proper documentation.

Source: Post Courier

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