Killing sparks tension

TENSION is high in the 2-Mile area of Lae, Morobe province, following the murder of a man from Finschhafen over the weekend.
Lae police said the murder victim Frederick Suma, 23, was from Larimana in Finschhafen.
It is believed Suma was with a friend at the 7-Block area between 11pm and midnight last Friday when they were chased and attacked by a group of people from Southern Highlands province.
As they were being chased, Suma was separated from his friend and his body was discovered in a drain the next morning.
As a result of the murder, seven to eight houses were burnt allegedly by friends and relatives of Suma.
Lae metropolitan commander supt commander Nema Mondiai said police had gone to the area on Sunday to negotiate for peace but so far had not managed to reach an eement between the parties.
Mondiai said the killing was not election-related.
Suma’s relatives have refused to accept “belkol” money from the Southern Highlanders and have given until Sunday for them to come up with their compensation demand of K500,000.
Two suspects are now detained at the Lae central Police Station as criminal investigations department investigations continuing.