Cops probe death of tea picker

AN old woman was murdered in Western Highlands province while returning home from work last Wednesday afternoon.
Police said she was stabbed several times and dumped in a drain between 5pm and 6pm.
Provincial Police Commander Kaiglo Ambane said the woman was employed as a tea picker at the Kudjip Tea Estate in Kindeng in South Waghi district.
Police are investigating this killing.
In another incident, a man from Pangia in Southern Highlands province was robbed of K500 worth of store goods last Tuesday by some thugs in Minj district.
The man had travelled to Mt Hagen to purchase goods for a trade store he runs in his village.
Supt Ambane said after shopping he got on a  25-seater PMV bus to travel back to his province.
But instead of going to Southern Highlands province, the driver diverted its route for unknown reasons and travelled back down the highway towards the Waghi area, he said.
He said the bus stopped at Minj, and two men armed with bush knives hopped on the bus and threatened the Pangia man, and took off with the store goods, K200 in cash and boots worth around K100 he had on.
Meanwhile, Supt Ambane confirmed that a total of 13 suspects, including the team leader, have been arrested so far in relation to the suspension of classes at the Notre Dame Girls Secondary School in Kumdi in Baiyer district.
The school had been closed after a few locals threatened to shut down the pump supplying water from a well located on school land unless K500,000 was paid to them as compensation.
The students had also been intimidated by bush knife-wielding men who walked around the school premises, and according to police, the men had also set up camp in the school.
The 13 are in police custody awaiting charges.