Police nab murder suspects

Islands, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday 12th February, 2013

NINE suspects were taken into police custody in Lorengau, Manus, last weekend and questioned over the rape and murder of a woman and her two daughters on Mal island.
The killing last month has prompted the local community and leaders to call for harsh penalties to imposed.
Manus police commander Alex N’Drasal said yesterday police officers were deployed to the remote island last Tuesday to investigate the incident.
They arrested the nine and brought them to Lorengau last weekend.
Reports said the mother and the two children were found dead after they were severely slashed and decapitated.
N’Drasal said the suspects might have been under the influence of alcohol when they committed the crimes.
He said the deceased was a mother of five and her two eldest daughters were aged 10 and eight.
Manus Open MP Ronny Knight described the gruesome killing warranted the death penalty.