Police charge three suspects in killing of Lae teenager

 By JUNIOR UKAHA

THREE suspects who were allegedly involved in the killing of a teenager in Lae on Monday night following a rampage were charged by police yesterday.

Morobe provincial police commander Leo Lamei said the men, all employees of Guard Dog Security Services, were charged with one count each of willful murder. 

He refused to name them saying that was a matter for the court.

The trio was part of a group of men numbering more than 50 who ran amok in the Lae City Mission premises at 11 Mile and allegedly stabbed Nashon Roney, aged 19, with a ‘Rambo knife’.

“Nine other suspects have been identified and will be called in for questioning,” Lamei said.

He said police had a meeting with the relatives of the deceased and Guard Dog general manager Peter Aigilo on Wednesday at the provincial police headquarters in Lae to resolve the matter.

In the meeting both sides agreed that:

l Guard Dog management will meet the funeral expenses of the deceased;

l Guard Dog will pay some form of compensation for the death they caused;

l Family and relatives of the deceased must not take the law into their own hands;

l Family and relatives of the deceased must not attack Guard Dog officers at their postings or damage any of the company’s properties; and

l A team set up to continue the mediation process.

The relatives of the victim had on Tuesday demanded the company pay them K500,000 as compensation for Roney’s death.

Lamei urged the relatives not to take the law into their own hands, saying they have made a commitment towards peace and must maintain it.