Jiwaka Provincial Police Commander (PPC), acting Superintendent Laimo Asi says a man was arrested and charged for four counts of driving an unregistered, uninsured and unroadworthy motor vehicle.
PPC Asi said the suspect was arrested and charged when he drove the unroadworthy vehicle loaded with coffee cherries at the roadblock conducted by the police Quick Response Force (QRF) Unit at Waghi Bruk along the Okuk Highway.
He said when the suspect approached the roadblock, he drove through the roadblock without stopping his vehicle.
PPC Asi said the driver was stopped by the police at the roadblock but ignored and drove past. He was chased and stopped a few meters away from the road and have him arrested for driving the unroadworthy vehicle.
PPC said the suspect was brought to the Minj police station where he was charged with four counts of driving un-registered, uninsured, and unroadworthy motor vehicle.
PPC Asi said the suspect was then released on police bail. After his release, the man organised his tribesmen and set up a roadblock at Rotbum in Minj along the Okuk Highway.
He stopped a police patrol unit and smashed the vehicle and caused injury to a policewoman. The incident took place on Saturday, February 7, at about 4.30pm at Rotbum in Minj.
PPC Asi said the suspect then went into hiding after the incident, but the matter was followed up on Sunday where local leaders were called up to surrender the suspects.
“I have given ultimate time 4.06pm on Sunday 8th February 2026 for the suspects to surrender and the main instigator surrendered to the police whilst the rest went into hiding,” PPC Asi said.
He added that the main suspect was now locked up in the police cell, bail non-negotiable.
PPC Asi said the suspect would be charged for attempted murder, wilful damages and relevant charges under Antiterrorism Act as well.
PPC has given ultimate timing at 2pm yesterday Tuesday, February 10 for other suspects to surrender to the police.
He said six other suspects who attacked the police patrol unit vehicle and the policewoman surrendered yesterday afternoon so a total of seven suspects had surrendered so far.
“So far, we have seven suspects locked up and they will be criminally responsible for the attack on the police unit. There are three other suspects still outstanding and they must surrender immediately.
“I will never tolerate such attitude of attack against my police officers in the province,” PPC Asi said, adding that he said this was the sixth time police officers including PPC himself were attacked and this would be the last.