A concerned mother lodged a complaint with the Ombudsman Commission on behalf of her daughter. She claimed that the daughter was unlawfully detained at the Kokopo Police Station for almost two (2) months without being charged by the arresting office.
In September of 2022, the woman and her husband voluntarily surrendered before the Kokopo Police Station after an incident occurred where the husband was involved in a fight that resulted in a person’s death. The woman and her husband were detained at Kokopo Police Station. It was alleged that the woman was an eyewitness to an incident in which her husband was involved. Her husband was later charged and transferred to Kerevat Jail pending a decision of the Court.
The commission commenced immediately enquiring with the Kokopo Police Station and the Criminal Investigations Division. Within a few hours the Officer in Charge of the Criminal Investigations Division, Kokopo Police Station contacted the Commission and ensured that the detainee would be released from police custody. On the following day, the woman’s mother informed the Commission that her daughter was released from police custody. She acknowledged the swift intervention by the Commission.