Source:The National

POLICE have arrested five men in connection with the raid and destruction of properties last week at the Ramu Nickel’s Kurumbukari mine site in Madang.

A Madang police source said the five were understood to be the main instigators of the raid last Monday.

The source said two of the people arrested were employed in the company’s community affairs department, two from a security firm plus a senior employee.

Police said three people, who were arrested and locked in a shipping container at the mine site on Thursday, were freed by their relatives who cut open the locks when police had left the area.

The damage to properties was estimated at K17 million.

The mine site was attacked by armed villagers, who damaged mining equipment and injured five Chinese employees.

Nine excavators, one fuel truck and a vehicle were burnt.

The company reported that computers, printing machines, office furniture, office windows and doors, two-way radios and office phones, three excavators, two PC300 excavators and other unidentified equipment were either damaged or removed.

The five suspects were refused bail by police.

Mining Minister Byron Chan will visit the mine site this week