Funeral expenses paid

 By JUNIOR UKAHA

THE family of a suspect in the killing of a woman last Friday paid K1,000 for funeral expenses to the father of the deceased on Tuesday.

The suspect’s relatives gave the money to Kimson Drua, stepfather of Maria Drua, at 9-Mile to ease tension and fast-track funeral arrangements. 

Drua confirmed yesterday that he received the money and would use it to take his stepdaughter’s body to the village for burial.

“Maria will be buried at Gembogl station, Chimbu, next Wednesday after a post-mortem is conducted on her on Tuesday,” Drua said yesterday.

Lae police operations commander Insp Fred Kaiwa said he was not aware of the funeral expense payment as he was not informed.

“Since the killing happened outside the city we have transferred the case to Rural CID (criminal investigation division) to work on it,” Kaiwa said.

He added that the murder of 19-year-old Nashon Roney at 11-Mile outside Lae on Monday would also be transferred to Rural CID.

Kaiwa said no suspects had been charged yet in relation to both deaths as police continue their investigations.

Drua claimed that the family of the suspect, who resides in the same settlement, had admitted and took responsibility that he (suspect) had killed Maria Drua on April 26.

“Every day the community and police are looking for the suspect (named) who is on the run,” he said.

“Our demand for K50,000 and 10 pigs stands and they (suspect’s relatives) have agreed to meet it,” he said.

Drua said they expected the compensation to be settled by June 1 and the suspect handed over to police.