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| Manus guards charged with murder of Iranian asylum seeker Reza Barati | Manus guards charged with murder of Iranian asylum seeker Reza Barati |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two former G4s guards have been arrested and charged with the murder of 23-year-old Reza Barati, an Iranian asylum seeker beaten to death during unrest inside the immigration detention centre on Manus Island. | |
| Papua New Guinea’s police commissioner, Jim Andrews, told the ABC a man was arrested in Kimbe province on Monday after a months-long search. A Manus local was arrested in July but it was not publicised by police. | |
| PNG authorities were working with Australian federal police and immigration officials in their search. Both men have now been charged with murder, the report said. | PNG authorities were working with Australian federal police and immigration officials in their search. Both men have now been charged with murder, the report said. |
| It is believed authorities are still searching for other people involved in the unrest and Barati’s death, including a Salvation Army worker who fled Manus. | It is believed authorities are still searching for other people involved in the unrest and Barati’s death, including a Salvation Army worker who fled Manus. |
| The names of the two men are Joshua Kaluria – arrested on Tuesday – and Louie Efi, Fairfax Media reports. The AFP did not confirm the arrests or charges. | The names of the two men are Joshua Kaluria – arrested on Tuesday – and Louie Efi, Fairfax Media reports. The AFP did not confirm the arrests or charges. |
| Barati died from severe head injuries sustained during the second night of violence inside the immigration detention centre in February of this year. | Barati died from severe head injuries sustained during the second night of violence inside the immigration detention centre in February of this year. |
| A spokesman for G4S told Guardian Australia the company had not been contacted by PNG authorities in relation to the arrests. | A spokesman for G4S told Guardian Australia the company had not been contacted by PNG authorities in relation to the arrests. |
| “G4S continues to support the Papua New Guinea investigation into the death of Mr Barati,” he said. “We have always given our full cooperation to the PNG police investigation into the matter, just as we have cooperated fully with the Australian government’s investigations into it. | “G4S continues to support the Papua New Guinea investigation into the death of Mr Barati,” he said. “We have always given our full cooperation to the PNG police investigation into the matter, just as we have cooperated fully with the Australian government’s investigations into it. |
| “It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time as we have no information on the reported arrests. Nor do we wish to compromise the police investigation and court proceedings that would likely follow any arrest.” | “It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time as we have no information on the reported arrests. Nor do we wish to compromise the police investigation and court proceedings that would likely follow any arrest.” |
| Immigration minister Scott Morrison told Sky News he was aware of the reports, but said it would inappropriate to make a statement on it as the PNG government had not formally confirmed the news. | |
| “I do welcome those reports and that news,” said Morrison. | |
| “We’ve been working closely with the PNG government and those authorities, and we have been making sure we were doing everything at our end to bring those to justice.” | |
| The Greens immigration spokeswoman, Sarah Hanson-Young, said the murder charges involving an “Australian government-funded employees” should lead to the detention centre being closed. | The Greens immigration spokeswoman, Sarah Hanson-Young, said the murder charges involving an “Australian government-funded employees” should lead to the detention centre being closed. |
| “The brutal attacks and the inexplicable delay in laying these charges show why the Manus camp is untenable,” Hanson-Young said. “Reza Barati was murdered by the very people who were employed to care for him and keep him safe. This cannot be allowed to happen again. | “The brutal attacks and the inexplicable delay in laying these charges show why the Manus camp is untenable,” Hanson-Young said. “Reza Barati was murdered by the very people who were employed to care for him and keep him safe. This cannot be allowed to happen again. |
| “After ignoring repeated warnings from staff and experts, the Abbott government has been desperate to blame anyone but themselves for this tragedy.” | “After ignoring repeated warnings from staff and experts, the Abbott government has been desperate to blame anyone but themselves for this tragedy.” |