Four held over death of ex-footballer

 By YVONNE HAIP

FOUR suspects, allegedly involved in the murder of a former rugby league player in Mt Hagen city, were handed over to police last Friday by locals.

Peter Siune, who made a name for himself in the province as a Mt Hagen Eagles forward during the 1990s, was allegedly stabbed to death during the early hours of July 23.

According to reports, Siune, who is from Chimbu but born and raised in Mt Hagen, was returning home from a local public bar when he met his fate.

Siune had reportedly had an argument at the bar earlier with a group of men, and as he was walking home, the men attacked him, while others accompanying Siune stood and watched.

Leaders from the Komkui area, who had always upheld the law as customary landowners of the city, negotiated with the suspects and handed them over to the police.

Western Highlands police commander, Supt Kaiglo Ambane, said the four suspects were being kept at the Mt Hagen police cells and would be formally charged once investigations were completed.

He said just because the suspects were arrested did not mean that they were guilty of the offence.

 They had to be proven guilty by the courts.

He thanked the Komkui leaders, led by councillor Jacob Wama, for bringing in the suspects and co-operating with police.

He said such gestures by leaders in ensuring that the law was obeyed was the way forward in making the province a better place to live in.

He also urged Tiki leaders in Dei district to come forward with the suspects involved in the murder of a Southern Highlands man almost three weeks ago.

Meanwhile, police have leads in the murder of a primary school deputy headmaster, Paul Konts, in front of the police station during the early hours of July 14.