Fatal shooting in Alotau leaves student dead

ALOTAU, once a peaceful town with kind and caring folks, is silent over the fatal shooting of a student by police near the Kwato Community College on Sunday.
Dickson Uku, 20, from Mutuyuwa village near the township, was gunned down with a high-powered rifle as he and his schoolmate Nama Sakaia walked with other students to choir practice at the Russell Memorial church when police opened fire.
A police officer told The National the shooting incident had followed a hold-up by criminals.
He said a complaint was made and the special squad was sent to the crime location.
The presence of gun-toting policemen had the students panicking. They ran and the police opened fire.
Sakaia, 17, from Lamhaga village, south of Alotau, received  pellet wounds to his left arm and was rushed – together with Uku’s body – to the Alotau General hospital.
A post-mortem is being carried out at the hospital to determine the cause of death.
Sakaia was treated and was under observation before his doctor discharged him.
He has returned to school and was receiving counselling, a college insider said.
The provincial capital remained tight-lipped since the shooting on Sunday between 7.30pm and 9pm.
The National tried to obtain comments from authorities, including the college board of directors, the police and Governor Titus Philemon without success. 
The Kwato church of Papua New Guinea Bishop Dago Walino was out of the Koaeabule Kwato headquarters. 
Alotau MP Charles Abel and his executives were not available either to speak about the violence that was wreaking havoc in the township.
Milne Bay was once reputed to be a peaceful area.
It is understood the special task force was moved to Alotau following a request by Abel to help bring crime rate in the province down.
Meanwhile, tension at Mutuyuwa village remained high yesterday where Uku’s relatives held a meeting, calling on Philemon to demand compensation payment for the death of the student.  
The meeting decided a committee be set up to further investigate the shooting.
Uku has three siblings. He leaves behind his parents Nelly and Waki Uku.