CS officers charged for attack on school

Three Correctional Service officers at Alotau’s CS Giligili Prison were charged with three counts of unlawful assault, drunk and disorderly, and insulting on Thursday.

The charges stem from last Friday’s encounter with students and teachers at KB Primary School which caused an uproar among parents and citizens, the matter described as gross abuse of power.
Amongst those charged was CS Giligili Gaol Commander Chief Superintendent Ray Gideon, statements claim he instigated the attack.

Police reports state, Gideon and two of his officers now identified as Samuel Dennis and Nathalie Smenato while under the influence of alcohol, had gone to KB Primary School on the morning of November 7 and stormed the Grade 7C classroom to beat up a male student who had earlier in the week, been accused of bullying a Grade 1 female student.

When teachers tried to intervene, they were also attacked, three of them sustaining minor injuries in the mayhem, including Head Teacher Sonia Bulegei.

A complaint was filed this week by Bulegei supported by her school board of management, Parents & Citizens and the Provincial Division of Education.

Provincial Police Commander chief inspector Benjamin Kua confirms it was from this complaint that he had sent a request letter to the CS Commander and his officers to come in for questioning on Thursday which they obliged.

They were each and severally charged with unlawful assault, drunk and disorderly conduct, and using insulting language.

They were released on their own recognizance bail, their matter scheduled for mention next Monday, November 17.