3 women, girl, killed in EHP

By ZACHERY PER
FOUR women, including a 12-year-old girl, have been murdered in Eastern Highlands in a bleak start to the New Year there.
A tribesman is alleged to have chopped three of the women to death over a long-standing land dispute outside Goroka town, while a man allegedly murdered the 12-year-old girl after raping her in Lufa district.
Eastern Highlands provincial police commander Supt Augustine Wampe confirmed the deaths on Sunday.
He said last Thursday an elderly man from Jotu village, in the Kama area outside Goroka town, got drunk before taking a metre-long bush knife and chopping to death the three women.
Wampe said the suspect had allegedly been aggrieved by an on-going land dispute and approached 17-year-old Emma Tura and asked for her father.
But the man allegedly did not wait for an answer, swung the bush knife, hitting Tura on her left ear.
Tura fell to the ground and died almost instantly.
The suspect then allegedly swung the bush knife at another female, Anuna Perekua, but missed.
Wampe said two other women, Okene Tura and Ina Blackie, who had been inside their house, ran out to find out what was happening.
Wampe said the suspect again swung the bush knife at them, chopping Okene Tura on her right shoulder, left ear and on the back of her head, causing her to fall and die.
“The suspect then attacked the third female, Ina Blackie, chopping her on her head and waist, she fell unconscious to the ground and was rushed to the Goroka Base Hospital but died the next morning,” Wampesaid.
He said the suspect ran from Kama to the Goroka police station still armed with the bush knife and surrendered to police.
Wampe said the suspect was now detained at the Goroka police cell and would soon be formally charged with murder.
In the Lufa rape and murder case, police are searching for the male suspect who was said to have kidnapped a 12-year-old girl and took her to a secluded location.
Wampe said the suspect raped the girl before murdering and burying her in the bush.
Police at Lufa acting on tip-offs located the grave of the victim.
“The matter is now under investigation by police I appeal to the people of Lufa to assist in apprehending the suspect,” he said.
Wampe said despite these unfortunate incidents, the people of Eastern Highlands enjoyed a peaceful Christmas and New Year period.
“I thank the leaders at all levels and the people for maintaining peace and unity over the festive season,” he said.