ROBBERS shot dead a PMV driver who was transporting the Eastern Highlands PNG Games team back to Goroka near Henaganofi station on Sunday.
The seven robbers drove the bus off the highway along with its passengers but found the road too slippery and abandoned it.
Eastern Highlands police commander Supt Philip Solala confirmed the incident yesterday but dismissed speculation that the female athletes on board the PMV were raped.
“There were no rapes but the driver was shot dead. The rest are safe,” he told The National.
Supt Solala said the incident occurred a few kilometres from the Henganofi government station at about 6.30pm.
He said the driver, who was from Markham, had tried to avoid the roadblock when he was shot.
Supt Solala said three suspects had been detained.
He appealed to the people in the district to help police round up the others.