Frustrated locals seize Govt vehicle

National, Normal
Source:

By YVONNE HAIP

LOCALS in Laiagam district of Enga province, seized a Government vehicle nine days ago after claiming that concerned authorities did not do any thing to address the mass killings in Surinki last year.
Police in the province said locals in Laiagam hijacked the Works vehicle after forcing the driver out and taking the car keys from him while he was driving back to Wabag from Porgera.
Provincial police commander, Supt Michael Chare, told The National from Wabag that the locals had seized the vehicle saying police and the Government had not done anything in relation to the roadblocks and mass killings at Surinki last November.
Four people, including an infant, were killed at the roadblock, while some of those who were travelling at that time received axe and bush knife wounds while some women were gang raped.
Supt Chare said the locals claimed that police and concern authorities done nothing about the mass killings, but so far, two prime suspects were arrested and charged with willful murder and behind bars.
He said the matter was still pending and police would arrest other suspects still at large, adding that the matter would not be put to rest until all the suspects were arrested and convicted by the court.
He said it was a police matter and urged the villagers not to take the law into their own hands and create another problem for themselves.
Supt Chare said a villager who forcefully took a Government vehicle and drove around for more than a week
was arrested and charged by police.
He said Edmin Isaiah, from Morobe province but now living with his brother-in-law, was charged with stealing and causing grievously bodily harm last Tuesday by Wabag police.
He said the Government vehicle, an open back Toyota Land Cruiser, was recovered by mobile squad 6 in good condition.
He commended his Laiagam police station commander for recovering the vehicle and helping in the arrest of a villager who was in possession of the vehicle.
Isaiah is now behind bars.