Police Commissioner David Manning has confirmed that the hostages held captive at Fogoma’iu Village a few kilometres from Mt Bosavi since February 19 were safely released after police, PNG Defense Force officers and leaders negotiated for their release.
Commissioner Manning escorted the three hostages to Port Moresby yesterday (Sunday February 26,) on a private charter from Kutubu after they were released by the armed criminals. One of the other female hostages was released earlier last week and was taken back to Port Moresby.
He met up with Prime Minister James Marape at the APEC Terminal at the Jackson`s International Airport, where he told the media that the security operation was successful and all the hostages were released in good health.
Manning said the best way to get the captives out was to negotiate with the criminals and that negotiation was successful and led to the release of Professor Bryce Baker, a New Zealand national, and two Papua New Guinean females, Jemina Haro and Tipsy Benny.
Commissioner Manning also added that those who were involved in that criminal activity will not walk away freely but will be held accountable for what they did.
“As far as police, PNGDF and security partners are concerned, we still have some unfinished business, and we hope to resolve that within a short time frame,” Commissioner Manning said.
Prime Minister James Marape who was also at the Airport to receive the three hostages thanked the Police Commissioner, the PNGDF commander and their men and women, the leaders from Hela, Southern Highlands and Western province and the missionaries and all the communities who assisted in the release of the hostages.
Prime Minister Marape strongly condemned the criminal act and expressed regrets that the rescue mission took longer than expected but acknowledged the successful release of the hostages by the security forces.
PM Marape also apologised to the families of those taken hostage for ransom.
He added, “I understand that the hostages including the foreign researcher and the female researchers were obviously traumatised but otherwise unharmed. I propose that following this welcome announcement, we all allow them the opportunity to deal with this privately until full recovery.
“I want to counsel our young men. The law now prohibits anyone from holding illegal firearms. Crime does not pay. You cannot have your way with criminal activities in our country. We are empowering our security personnel to uphold the law and deal with people with criminal intentions. We want to secure the safety of people in order to secure our investment and future development.”
According to the initial report Professor Barker and his team of researchers were set upon by armed men and kidnapped at Fogoma’iu Village in the early hours on Sunday 19, some kilometres of Mt. Bosavi. The group claiming responsibility posted a demand of K3.5 million for the release of the hostages.