Police hunt suspect in beheading incident

 By ARMSTRONG SAIYAMA

POLICE are hunting a suspect believed to have used a bush knife to cut off the head of his brother at Ipani village in Central on Monday.  

Provincial police commander Heni Vagi said the two brothers, aged 22 and 20, had been drinking alcohol all night into the early hours of Monday morning.

“The brothers got into an argument and as a result, the 22-year-old was beheaded,” Vagi said.

Police detectives had been sent to Ipani village to investigate the killing.

Vagi said that another beheading, this time of a 16-year-old girl at Tapini in the Goilala district had also been reported to police.

Imelda Sopiro was killed by an unknown number of assailants who used bush knives.

“The suspects killed her and put her body in her bed in her house,” Vagi said.

He said Central police could not send detectives to Tapini to investigate this case because they did not have sufficient vehicles.

“I am making an appeal to Goilala MP Daniel Mona to help the Central police,” Vagi said.

In another case, Vagi said his men stopped a vehicle with four men dressed in police uniforms in Bereina along the Hiritano Highway.

“The police officers stopped and searched the men travelling in the vehicle and found a high-powered gun,” he said.

Vagi said the suspects were arrested and charged with possession of a high-powered weapon and impersonating police officers.

Ends…di