Pastor on the run after shootout with police

By ELIAS LARI
A PENTECOSTAL church pastor and a businessman in Enga wanted by police over several deaths escaped after exchanging gun shots with the Wabag-based police task force early yesterday.
The pastor allegedly suffered pellet wounds on his chest and escaped.
The businessman was alleged to have instigated a fight at a checkpoint on the border of Western Highlands and Enga in which many lives were lost and hundreds of thousands of kina worth of property destroyed.
Provincial police commander Martin Lakari confirmed that the shootout took place at Mukrimanda, Enga, at 5am.
He said the two men had been travelling in a blue Toyota Land Cruiser, registration LAC 069, passing through Mukrimanda, close to the Wapenamanda station.
Police chased the vehicle on a tip off to arrest the wanted businessman.
Lakari said when the man learnt he was being followed, he took out a gun and shot at the police vehicle.
Police retaliated and a shootout took place.
He said the man left his vehicle and fled into the nearby bushes, followed by the pastor.
“He is a very dangerous person and I’m appealing to the surrounding community at Mukrimanda to hand him over to police,” Lakari said.
“He has played a major role in the fight that resulted in lives and properties being lost.”
 and hundreds of people fleeing from their villages.
“I’m appealing to the people to come forward with any information of their whereabouts.
“I don’t know why a pastor sees fit to go around with a man causing trouble,” he said.
Lakari called on the pastor to surrender.