Police officers probing attack on Chinese Australian businessmen voice worries over bribe attempts and threats
BY LORETTA B MANELE
Police officers investigating the assault, robbery and possible kidnapping incident of two Chinese Australians on Sunday, March 8, are voicing concerns about interference by powerful Chinese miners who are suspects in the case.
From bribe offers of $30,000, to strangers showing up at their homes, the police officers told Island Sun that they feel threatened, adding that certain police officers are also acting for the suspects.
The suspects are senior figures in a mining company operating on Rennell island, Renbel province.
There are four of them, who are reportedly behind the attack on the two Chinese Australians on March 8, in front of Meat Lovers shop in Kukum.
These four Chinese businessmen allegedly hired the three locals who attacked the two Chinese Australians.
One of the four was arrested on Sunday evening and placed in a cell at the Central police station. However, the suspect was suspiciously released on bail that night. The next day he flew off to Rennell.
The police officers told Island Sun that Sunday evening following the arrest, a local man showed up at the Central police station saying he was sent by a prominent provincial leader from the Renbel province to enquire why the Chinese businessman were being detained.
On Monday, March 9, one of the police officers met with one of the suspects and his lawyer at the Heritage Park hotel.
The officer told Island Sun he was enticed with expensive food and drinks as the suspect’s lawyer requested the original copy of the statements of the two Chinese Australians.
The police officer declined based on the understanding that the lawful venue to exchange such documents was the courts.
Later that day the lawyer messaged the police officers again asking for the original statements of the two Chinese Australians, to which the officers declined.
On Wednesday, March 11, the local who had claimed to represent the Renbel provincial leader at the Central police station on Sunday evening, arrived at the home of one of the police officers.
The officer was not home, and the man lurked around the residential area before telling the officer’s spouse that a $30,000 would be given to the officer if he gave up the original statements of the two Chinese Australians.
The police officers told Island Sun yesterday that through out the week they have been receiving unreceptive behaviours from some of their colleague officers at the Central police station.
“We are coming to the media because we don’t know who to trust, and we feel that our lives are at risk as we do our jobs to investigate these powerful Chinese businessmen,” the police officers tell Island Sun.
When asked if they have reported to their internal matters department, the PSII, the officers said they will in time after they have completed their investigations because time is of the essence, and they need to collect and compile their report.
The officers said so far, video evidence and text messages have been handed as evidence to the criminal investigations department (CID).
Police media could not respond when contacted for comments last night.
Background
Two Australian citizens, of Chinese origin, were reportedly assaulted and robbed Sunday afternoon, March 8, by three locals outside the King of Meatz Kukum shop.
The locals were allegedly hired by four Chinese men who were senior figures in a mining company, sources told Island Sun on Sunday.
The incident is connected to the mining operation on Rennell island, Renbel province, sources said.
Police Media told Island Sun on Monday, “One of the Chinese businessmen who masterminded the hiring of the locals to harm the two persons has been arrested by police. Investigations have been initiated and ongoing on the matter.”
Four Chinese individuals had masterminded the attack and hired the three locals, police media said.
At this stage, it is not clear whether the plan was to kill the two persons or just threaten them, police told Island Sun.
Island Sun has sighted a video which was recorded by one of the two persons during the attack showing the three locals assaulting and robbing them.
The faces of the three local men are clearly visible in the video as they entered the vehicle, assaulted and snatched the vehicle key, and snatched a mobile phone from the two Chinese Australians.
The incident occurred in broad daylight with vehicles passing by. Bystanders reportedly came and persuaded the attackers to return the vehicle keys.
The mobile phone remains missing.
The four men who allegedly masterminded the attack are senior figures of one of the mining companies operating on Rennell, sources told Island Sun.
The two Chinese Australians are also senior members of another mining company, and were embroiled in business disputes with the four men, sources said.
It is understood that an injunction case between the parties is before the courts.
Meanwhile, this is not the first violent incident to happen connected to extractive operations in Rennell.
The most media-covered incident took place on the morning of Saturday, November 8, 2014, when a prominent landowner of West Rennell was attacked with a 60-centimetre bushknife and got his arm nearly chopped clean off. The attackers were hired by a logging company following dispute with the victim.
In September 2016 then Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare ordered an urgent investigation into “deepening violence” in West Rennell logging operations. The violence resulted in at least two people sustaining knife wounds. An attacker was taken into police custody in Honiara.
In May 2017 two cases of alleged arson occurred near Kanava Village in West Rennell. Police investigators from the National Crime Intelligence department were deployed from Honiara to assist.
In January 2020 an Indonesian national employed by the Bintang Mining Company was fatally stabbed on Rennell Island following an argument with two local men. The victim died at the Tigoa clinic, and two suspects in their 30s were arrested.
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