Call for PNG police and courts to work closely with media on violence cases

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Papua New Guinea’s police and courts must work closely with media for transparency to inform the public on the daily investigation and court processes taken over the death of young mother Jenelyn Kennedy late last month, a men’s gender justice advocate says.

Man Up group representative Ganjiki Wayne said Jenelyn’s death had shown a call for justice and the entire country would be behind her families and relatives as the justice process served the country, reports the PNG Post-Courier.

“Papua New Guinea is offended by this crime committed and police, courts and media must work together to tell the people that the investigation is complete,” Wayne said.

READ MORE: Background and reports on gender-based violence in PNG

He said police must make daily briefings to media just like during the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic so the nation was aware of the process being taken.

“We need to know the evidence and witness process, we need to know the prosecution process,” he said.

“If there is a bail application file and processes on suspects, people need to know about it.”

He said the “PNG village” was much closer now and the community must be informed of every detail of her case being investigated.

“We don’t want Jenelyn’s death [investigation] to be incomplete or something happening to stop [the justice process],” he said.

Other cases of gender-based violence needed to be investigated also.