Lae police arrest man after wife found dead

LAE police have arrested a man for allegedly killing his wife to marry his 14-year-old step daughter.
He is also believed to have raped the girl twice last month and attempted to poison his wife four times.
The wife’s body was found floating in Markham River delta on March 17 near the Aigris Market.
Lae Metropolitan Commander Anthony Wagambie Jr said the step-daughter was not only a sexual abuse victim but also the prime witness in the circumstances leading to the death of her biological mother.
“I cannot imagine the trauma she is enduring and I appeal to counselling services, family members and community to support her,” he said.
The wife also left behind a four-year-old daughter.
Wagambie Jr said the 4-Mile community leaders at Kandis Market reported the victim missing on March 15, after the man led his wife to a garden at about 5.30am, returned about 10am and reported her missing.
Police, family members and communities then launched a search until the next day for the victim but could not find her. “The suspect was detained for investigations after community leaders accused him of murdering his wife,” Wagambie Jr said, adding that the step-daughter identified the deceased.
“The step daughter alleged that the suspect raped her twice in mid-February but fear stopped her from telling her mother.
“She told police that the suspect tried to get rid of her mother and marry her and that he poisoned her food four times.
“However, the wife sensed something wrong with the food and threw it away until she went missing on March 15.”
Wagambie said there were many cases of abuse of trust and an increasing number of sexual offences involving known persons.
“Communities and family members must now be mindful of anything suspicious in the behaviour of their loved ones.”
Police are expected to charge the man with four counts of sexual abuse, abuse of trust, authority and dependency, and murder.