Gulf PMV drivers demand justice for slain colleague

GULF PMV operators on the Hiritano Highway met two MPs yesterday and demanded that those responsible for killing a PMV driver last Friday be brought to justice immediately.
They met Kerema Open MP Pitom Bombom and Kairuku Hiri MP Paru Aihi at the Unagi Park in NCD to demand justice for Max Sare who was killed at Inauabui in Mekeo.
Sources at the gathering said Mr Sare, in his late 40s from Kukipi village Gulf province, was shot in the head by armed men when he tried avoided an illegal roadblock.
The roadblock was set up between Inauabuia and Ebua in Mekeo, Central province.
The PMV was travelling from Port Moresby with passengers and cargo in the afternoon, heading for villages in the Gulf province.
Gulf  provincial police commander Rueben Giusu said a passenger from Enga, who was shot in the left arm, quickly took over steering when the truck started to veer off the road.
“Despite the injury, Putu Tulao managed to drive the truck all the way to the Malalaua police station,” Mr Giusu said.
A convoy of PMV trucks and representatives from various Gulf PMV owners, police from both the southern command and the NCD mobile squad together with Mr Aihi and Mr Bombom are expected to travel to Malalaua by road today to receive a petition from people of Gulf province.
The petition includes a call for an end to armed robberies along the highway.
Central provincial police commander Aquila Tokanini said  no arrests had been made, but they were still investigating the murder.