Solomon Islands police, searching for the killer of Sir Frederick Soaki, are hunting for a regular police officer.
Sir Frederick, a member of the National Peace Council, was shot dead earlier this month in an Auki restaurant.
So far there have been no arrests in the case, but chief superintendent Eddie Sikua says suspicion has now fallen on a regular officer who has gone AWOL.
He says the man is now armed and could be dangerous.
Mr Sikua says the officer may also be accompanied by two former militants.
He says police still have no motive for the killing but it would be unlikely that a regular officer would be concerned about the demobilization of special constables in which Sir Frederick was involved.
