Murder suspects use ‘dry coconut’ excuse to explain man’s death

A 20-YEAR-old man was murdered at Hahai village on Pak Island, Manus, in late June but the incident was only reported to police on last month on Independence Day.
Provincial police commander Chief Insp Alex N’drasal said the deceased had been among a group of young men walking through the village when he was attacked by three men and hit with an iron bar that resulted in his death.
The young men, who were with him at the time, told villagers that he had been hit by a dry falling coconut.
N’drasal said people had not reported the matter quickly because they had been threatened by the suspects.
However, during the Manus Show celebrations in Lorengau during independence, one man managed to formally report the matter to police.
Police arrested the suspects last Wednesday and they have appeared for mention.
They have been remanded at the CS jail in Manus.
In another case, a 19-year-old female student in Manus was lured to a hill by the road side in Lorengau and repeatedly raped.
N’drasal said the incident occurred not far from the Blacktown settlement and the teenage girl had been threatened with a knife by the suspect.
Police said the suspect, who is from Bipi and Pak Island, had been arrested and charged by the police and was remanded in CS custody.
Meanwhile, a 38-year-old man has been injured after being physically assaulted after a dance at the Manus Sports Club.
N’drasal said the man was kicked, picked up and slammed to the ground by another man after he had refused to let some girls he had escorted to the club, dance with the assaulter.
The assaulter has been arrested and charged by police and will be appearing for mention on Thursday.