By GINNAH MINI
Governor for Morobe, Rainbo Paita has raised questions without notice to the Police Minister to bring back death penalty given the increase of lawlessness in the country.
Mr. Paita said there has been increase in law-and-order issues in the country-particularly, cars getting ransacked after accidents.
He noted the amount of videos circulating on social media about people looting vehicles after accidents in Port Moresby and other parts of the country and described it as ‘a symptom of a degrading society’.
“I was in cabinet when we made the decision to set aside and remove the death penalty, when it was there, and some of us in cabinet argued that it should have been left there as a form of deterrence for our people,” Mr. Paita said.
Mr. Paita questioned the Police Minister whether to bring back death penalty, to deal with the heinous crimes that people are committing in the country as the crime rate is increasing in an alarming rate.
He questioned whether the death penalty can be placed on board for open discussions.
Prime Minister James Marape has responded to the question in place of Police Minister who was absent and said that death penalty was removed in parliament as evidence (globally) has shown that it does not reduce crime.
Mr. Marape said that he will get the police commissioner to present statistics on what he has achieved from 2019 till date.
“If statistics demand that we look at this sort of policy, then we could certainly look at this again,” Mr. Marape said.
He said that improvements have been made in the police sector and they want successful arrest and prosecution of those who commit crimes in the country.
Prime Minister Marape said that he will collect statistics and make a statement to the House in response but made it clear that death penalty is not what the country needs.