Family of the missing police officer put up a banner pleading for any information. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Scott Waide
There are increasing concerns in Papua New Guinea for a policeman who went missing, along with his vehicle, five days ago.
The man, a member of the elite mobile squad, is reported to have left his gun in his motel room in Tari in Hela Province and had gone to wash his vehicle, but has not been seen since.
Today families of police officers staged a protest in Port Moresby, using the disappearance as an example of the stresses police in PNG face.
RNZ Pacific correspondent Scott Waide reported that while there is a significant police effort to try and find the man, there have been no leads so far.
"Usually in cases like this where there's a member of the police involved or a person who has disappeared or gone missing there's usually leads, but for this one nothing at the moment. There's rumours spreading within the community that the vehicle has been sighted outside of Tari town where he went missing but police haven't been able to confirm," he said.
Waide said there is speculation the man has been kidnapped.
PNG chief of police operations, assistant commissioner Donald Yamasombi, today met with police families who set up a barricade at Red Hills Police barracks in Port Moresby in protest over the missing policeman.
Yamasombi explained the circumstances surrounding the man's disappearance and the family was to present his office with a petition expected to highlight the hardships faced by policemen and women who operate in conflict areas.
Yamasombi has also sent the director of the Special Services Division to Tari as part of the investigation efforts.
The Prime Minister James Marape has asked the provincial administrator to assist police in the search.