One dead in road accident

 By GABRIEL FITO

A PNG Power Ltd worker is dead and several others are nursing serious injuries at the Wewak General Hospital after their car plunged into Nagam River, along the main Sepik Highway.

Maprik Police Station commander Insp Richard Rafa said yesterday that a truck loaded with drums of fuel for the rural electrification project was returning from Wewak to Warasaua, in the Yangoru-Saussia district, when the accident happened last Wednesday.

He said a passenger in the cabin of the truck was killed when the truck crashed into the river and several others were critically injured.

Police said the accident may have been caused by a brake failure but the Wewak traffic police were investigating the accident.

Meanwhile, police reported an arm holdup at Maringe village in Yangoru last Tuesday morning.

Nine suspects armed with bush knives and firearms held up a PMV from Wosera when it stopped to replace a punctured tyre.

Rafa said the suspects robbed passengers and escaped but villagers came to their aid and apprehended a suspect, whom they handed over to police.

The mobile squad at Yangoru captured another five, while three remainat large.

Rafa said the suspects were from Kusambuk and Maprik areas but decided to hide at Maringe and commit the offence. He thanked the Maringe villagers for helping police in handing over the suspects.