Mum held on kidnap charge

By ELIAS LARI
POLICE in Mt Hagen have arrested a mother from Western Highlands for allegedly kidnapping a colleague in Mt Hagen 10 days ago.
Provincial police commander Jacob Kamiak said the alleged kidnapping was related to a work position with a transport company.
Kamiak said Merlyn Kepo, from Baiyer in Western Highlands, is accused of arranging with her husband, four other men and her son to kidnap Angela Tai Fairweather, 44, from Masul village, in Sinasina, Chimbu.
He said Kepo and Fairweather were employed by the transport company and the accused was not happy with the management’s decision, so she called Fairweather to bring over the keys to the office.
Kamiak said at around 8pm Fairweather drove to the office in a company vehicle and was held up by Kepo and her husband, their son and four other men.
He said they took Fairweather to Baiyer and on their way they had an accident so the husband took them to Tinsley hospital.
Kamiak said while they were at the hospital, the Mt Hagen police crime unit, which followed them because of the accident, arrived and arrested Kepo.
“This is the first time I hear of a women setting up a kidnap, normally it’s regarded as a man’s job,” Kamiak said. “I do not know why people fight over a position to cause injuries or threat to other people.”
Kamiak said police would look for the other suspects.
Kepo was charged with kidnapping and deprivation of freedom.
Meanwhile, Kamiak is calling on members of the public at the Togoba section of the Highlands Highway leading to Enga and Southern Highlands to come forward with information regarding a hit-and-run collision that resulted in the death of a man on Feb 18.
Kamiak said the vehicle ran over the man.