RSIPF arrests 40-year-old suspect in relation to alleged robbery in Central Guadalcanal

Officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) at the Henderson Police Station in Guadalcanal Province this morning (14 December 2020) arrested a male suspect in relation to an alleged robbery incident at the Winwin mining company operating in Central Guadalcanal last week.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Guadalcanal Province, Chief Superintended Alfred Uiga says, “Police have arrested a 40-year-old male suspect from Malaita Province around 10 am this morning behind Henderson airport following a tip off received by police.”

“Police investigators have identified another two suspects in relation to the robbery incident. I call on those suspects to surrender themselves. You will not hide and police will keep on hunting for you. So surrender to police.”

PPC Uiga, “I would like to make it very clear here that police was not involved in the robbery incident as being alleged by certain members of the public. Our investigations will find out who was involved in the alleged incident and bring those responsible to justice.”

It is alleged that seven men entered the Winwin mining company at Turarana in a G-plated white plain Toyota land cruiser in the early hours of 9 December. Two of them wore the police sky blue uniform while the other five wore police t- shirts. They also covered their faces with masks. One of the intruders, wearing the police sky blue uniform, also wore a police baseball cap.

The men entered the compound and introduced themselves as officers of the RSIPF checking on the company work permit and passports as well as hidden high-powered weapons. They then advised company workers to assemble at one location inside the compound which they did.”
While the workers were assembled at one location the intruders then started to move around the company premises and opening up storage containers. They asked for the camp manager and ordered him to go over to the gold storage container under close guard and was ordered to open the container. Upon opening the container they took one gold bar weighing 3 kilograms. They also took one other gold bar weighing 1.7 kilograms which is yet to be properly cleaned. They also took the sum of $140,000.00 cash and 15 mobile phones. The phones belonged to the company workers.”

The company workers and staff begun to be suspicious of what occurred and a fight broke out. During the fight, one of the intruders was shot with a knife and he was said to be injured on the left leg above the knee area. The intruders then escaped.

“Investigation into the robbery incident is continuing. Police is looking at the possibility remand the suspect. He will probably appear in the Honiara Central Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (15 December 2020),” says PPC Uiga.

Members of the public are encouraged to contact Henderson Police station on phone 36200 or 36201 should they have any information about the alleged robbery incident.