Four arrested over Bautama killings

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday, June 7th 2011

By JACOB POK and ANGELINEā€ˆKARIUS
FOUR suspects allegedly involved in the Bautama killings outside Port Moresby two weeks ago have been arrested by police and are expected to appear before the Waigani Committal Court today. 
The suspects had been charged with wilful and attempted murder respectively and were detained at Boroko police station.
A police prosecutor yesterday said the matter was supposed to be heard yesterday but was deferred to today.
He said the matter would be heard by the central committal court in Waigani and prosecuted by Central police prosecutors.
Tension was still high along parts of Bautama junction and Magi Highway as Koiaris and Motuans blocked off the roads last week to demand quick government intervention in resolving the problems.
The rampage by frustrated Koiari and Motuan youths was over the murders of a Grade10 student of Mt Diamond Secondary School and another Koiari man two weekends ago.
The roadblock affected travellers along the highway, including Rigo and Abau districts.
Many people now feared  tra­velling on the highway because of the tension in the area.
No arrests have been made over the burning down of homes belonging to the Goilala people at the 6-Mile Dump area, NCD metropolitan commander Supt Jo­seph Tondop said yesterday.
He said any such arrest would have only added “fuel to the fire”.
He said Koiaris from the Bautama area forced their way into the settlement fully armed with bush knives and burnt the houses.
“We (police) moved in and managed to take control of the situation without them causing further violence,” he said.
Tondop said people with such problems should talk and discuss the matter openly with their leaders to come up with better solutions to resolve issues.
“The city residents deserve to be entitled to the normalcy that must prevail within the city limits,” he said.
“I have urged Goilala community leaders to regroup and make a formal complaint at the local police station.”
He said the innocent minority were caught in the fight.
Central provincial police commander John Maru said no further action had been taken by Koiaris and Motuans over the weekend.
A roadblock they had placed at Bautama had been cleared last Friday. 
He said they were waiting for a response from provincial and national government through Kairuku-Hiri MP and Higher Education Minister, Paru Aihi.
It is understood Aihi will return from an official trip today.
Maru said the criminal investigation division “is still investigating the incident”.