Soldiers protest over impending court martial of 4 officers

The faction of soldiers who barricaded the road at Murray Barracks tonight say the stand off is a peaceful protest.

The soldiers told NBC News that the demonstration is a response to the scheduled Court Martial of four fellow soldiers, set for tomorrow at 10:00am.

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner David Manning spoke exclusively on NBC Radio tonight assuring city residents that police are out in full force to ensure public safety is maintained and will continue tomorrow, in light of the situation.

The four officers, who were stationed at the recruitment office, are allegedly linked to viral videos that exposed claims of nepotism and bribery within the PNGDF recruitment process.

These allegations recently led to Dr. Billy Joseph stepping aside from his role as Defence Minister to allow for an investigation.

Speaking to NBC News, the protesting soldiers described their actions as a peaceful stand against what they term unfair treatment. They argue that the officers in question are whistleblowers who acted to expose internal corruption.

The soldiers stated that their primary goal is to capture the attention of the PNGDF hierarchy, demanding a fair and just resolution for those who spoke out against irregularities in the recruitment program.

As of this hour, the protest remains peaceful; no vehicles have been damaged, and no members of the public have been harmed. However, the road remains partially blocked off.