Murder suspect of paediatrician in Lae captured

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By NICHOLAS SIREO
THE prime suspect in the murder of Angau Hospital senior paediatrician Dr Alphonse Rongap was captured during a raid by Lae police on Tuesday.
Lae Met Supt Anthony Wagambie Jr confirmed that police apprehended the suspect following a successful dawn raid at As Mambu along Back Road.
“A combined raid was conducted at 4am by police intelligence and Sector Response Unit members after his hideout was uncovered by our intelligence officers. He was caught along with a couple who were harbouring him,” he said.
Police claimed the suspect had been involved in a string of crimes along Back Road and threatened several witnesses to his crimes while on the run.
Wagambie told The National that the suspect was in possession of a home-made pistol and several rounds of ammunition at the time of his capture.
“He was detained and interrogated and he admitted that he was the one who pulled the trigger and shot Rongap. Yesterday he led police to the location where he hid the murder weapon and police retrieved it.”
Wagambie said the weapon would be handed over to the homicide squad to carry out ballistic tests to verify if the weapon was used in the murder of Rongap.
“I am very impressed with my men for doing a fine job in obtaining information and carrying out the raid successfully,” Wagambie said.