RSIPF arrests second suspect following arson incident in Renbel Province

Officers of the Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) have arrested a second suspect a suspect in connection with the burning of two buildings at Tigoa in West Rennell, in the Rennell and Bellona Province on the night of 25 July 2019.

The second suspect, a 21-year-old male person was arrested at Tigoa in the evening of 23 August 2019. The first suspect, a 29-year-old male person was arrested in the morning of the same day.

The two suspects have been flown to Honiara yesterday (25 August) for further processing and remand as investigations into the incident continues.

“I wish to thank my officers of the National Criminal Investigation Department as well as police officers at the Tigoa Police Station for working hard on this arson case resulting in the arrest of the two suspects so far,” says Assistant Commissioner of Police, Crime and Intelligence, Ian Vaevaso.

ACP Vaevaso adds: “The arrests made so far would not have been possible without the cooperation of members of the community at Tigoa through the information they have volunteered to my investigators.”

“Police alone cannot resolve and bring to justice people who commit crime in our communities. We must all work together to ensure our communities are safe and secure,” ACP Vaevaso emphasises.

He says, “I call on members of the community at Tigoa in West Rennell to come forward with any information they may have on the burning of the two houses as police continue its investigation into the matter.”

The two buildings burned during the incident were owned by the Rennell and Bellona Provincial Government and the incident was allegedly connected to the election of the Renbel Provincial Premier in last month.