Man slashed to death, woman killed by wife of ‘friend’

By PISAI GUMAR
TWO murders have taken place in Lae over the festive weekend.
A man was killed at Hasu Block, on Butibam Road, on Friday while a woman was stabbed to death at Igam Block on New Year’s Day.
The man was brutally slashed by two bush knife-wielding men and pronounced dead on arrival at the accident and emergency unit of Angau Memorial Hospital last Friday.
The woman was stabbed at midday on Sunday by the wife of a man who discovered her husband had taken the deceased to their home.
Lae police metropolitan commander Supt Nema Mondiai confirmed the killing at Igam block but could not comment on the Hasu block death, saying he had not been briefed on that.
But eyewitnesses said the killing stemmed from an argument between a trade store owner, a man from Baiyer, Western Highlands, and a man from Enga.
They said the man from Enga was slashed by two bush knife-wielding relatives of the man from Baiyer.
Mondiai said the killing at Igam block took place when the husband took a woman to the family home.
After the wife discovered the woman in the company of the husband, an argument erupted and the wife fought with the husband.
In the process of fighting, the wife stabbed the woman, who was pronounced dead at noon on Sunday.
Mondiai voiced the concern that despite an alcohol ban, there were increasing alcohol- related issues.
He said there was widespread production and consumption of homebrew while people leaving taverns, clubs and motels were becoming involved in street fights.
Mondiai commended Lae citizens and nearby communities for behaving throughout the Christmas and New Year.
“Lae police were out in full force for the festive period operations, which have seen fewer troubles and I thank all the rank and file who performed to their best of their ability to instill confidence, peace and harmony in the community,” he said.
At Okapa, Eastern Highlands, thugs set up a roadblock and held up a semi-trailer owned by Lae-based Mapai Transport Company last Friday.
The vehicle was loaded with two containers of rice bound for Mt Hagen.
After chasing the driver away, the thugs drove the semi-trailer and its container of rice into Honerungka.
After learning of the hijacking of his truck, owner Jacob Luke called for police help to retrieve the vehicle and goods. However, there was no response to his call.
 “Are we trucking companies going to pay huge taxes to government coffers yearly while risking our lives enduring such crime every day, with government and law enforcing agents doing little to protect our lives for the service we provide for the development of the country?” Luke asked.