Relatives want boy returned

 EIGHTEEN-year-old David Sau from upper Bena, Eastern Highlands, has become the latest victim of alleged kidnapping along the Highlands Highway.

Relatives told The National on Sunday that he was kidnapped by PMV bus operators from Western Highlands on Saturday after an incident at Faniufa where youths allegedly smashed glasses of one of the buses.

They said Sau was at the nearby Mambu market and was innocent of a fight between local boys and the PMV bus operators convoying up from Lae and Madang in the night on what is known as “tulait tulait”.

They said the PMV operators were looking for the youths who smashed the glasses of one of their buses when they spotted Sau and allegedly kidnapped him.

Family members at Mambu settlement outside Goroka town have called for Sau to be brought back alive as he is innocent of the trouble between the youths and the PMV ope­rators.

Elder brother Matric Sau said: “We want 

my brother back in good health. It is unbecoming of such attitude to kidnap innocent people.”

He added that they have identified the suspects involved in the incident and would hand them to the police but wanted his brother to be released alive.

“To ease frustrations and we would like you to release him, we also call on MPs from the Highlands and police in the region to intervene to ensure young Sau is released back to us alive and in good health,” he said.

“We would like him to be released as soon as possible so we will assist the bus owner to go through the normal process to address the problem.” 

For further information elder brother Sau can be contacted on 7193 5839.