BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
RENBEL provincial police commander (PPC) Inspector Aloysius Manegaua was given permission to leave Tingoa Police Station before the New Year (2018) to visit his sick mother who has since passed away.
This was clarified by the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Assistant Commissioner Provincial (ACP), Joseph Manelugu.
Mr Manelugu explains that he had authorised the PPC for Rennell-Bellona to come over to Honiara to visit his mother who was in a critical condition at that time and that he handed over the duties of PPC to another senior officer.
“PPC Manegaua never ‘abandoned’ his post as reported in the media.
“The issue of the Officers posted at Tingoa Police Station leaving their post and the other issues with policing in Renbel Province is being addressed by the RSIPF Executive.”
Speaking to Island Sun yesterday, PPC Manegaua also confirmed that he was tending to his sick mother who had passed away on the 6th of this month, January.
“I did not flee from Tingoa Station as stated in the media today [yesterday], I travelled to Honiara because of my mother’s welfare,” said the PPC.
“The other Officers travelling to Honiara is to do with the internal matter of the police.
“Just because we were travelling together is maybe why the report of us fleeing together from threat is being related this way.”
The Renbel PPC is currently on compassionate leave and will be returning for official duties in two weeks’ time.
Meanwhile, reasons for the other six officers who accompanied Manegaua on January 1 back to Honiara are still unclear.
It was reported that RSIPF officers posted at the Tingoa police station had evacuated on the 1st of January because of some verbal abuse and threats from some members of the public.
Sources had also said the officers had been recalled by the Assistant Commissioner Provincial (ACP) following widespread complaints over their low performance leading up to and during the Christmas festivities.
