Police probe shooting incident in Wau

By SAMPSON BONAI
MOROBE police are investigation the shooting and wounding of a man by armed criminals in Wau, Morobe province, last Sunday.
A close relative confirmed the victim was shot at point blank range and he was rushed to the Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae.
“He is now recovering at the hospital and is in a stable condition.
“He will undergo another surgery to remove the pellets that are still inside his body,” the relative said.
“Armed men confronted the victim at his house just before dusk and demanded money from him.
“When he refused to give in to their demand, they shot him at point blank range and escaped into the night,” he said.
Wau police are investigating and expect to apprehend and question the suspects soon.
Meanwhile, illegal gold mining activities are still continuing at Wau Ecology Institute and the conservation area is now under serious threat of being ruined in the mad gold rush.
Wau Ecology Institute’s station manager Wagi Kukubol said illegal miners were still indulging in the mining activities and he called on Police Mobile Squad unit 15 personnel from Bulolo to be deployed in the area to stop the illegal miners from exploiting the conservation area.
Coffee trees and protected species of tress were uprooted and the land turned upside down with holes measuring about 2m to 3m.
The famous Eddie Creek, which yielded unprecedented gold nuggets that gave Wau international acclaim in 1929, runs through the institute.