Residents hand over suspects

 By JUNIOR UKAHA
THREE suspects allegedly involved in the torching of houses at the Limki settlement, in Lae, following an ethnic clash were nabbed by members of the community and handed to police last week.
Lae metropolitan police commander Iven Lakatani confirmed the public action, saying the three were questioned but later released because none of the complainants had come forward to identify them.
“We have not charged them yet because of lack of evidence,” Lakatani said.
“They are now staying with a community leader in Limki because there is no concrete evidence to connect them to the arson.”
Lakatani said police needed to know who the complainants were in the case.
The Limki fight started when a Chimbu youth was stoned to death by a suspect.
The victim’s relatives reportedly blamed the Kabwums for his death and with assistance from other settlers torched 48 shelters belonging to the Kabwums.
Lakatani said the prime suspect allegedly involved in the killing of the teenager was arrested and charged with murder by police and was remanded at the Buimo jail.
He said the suspect, in his 30s, was identified only as Waksy.
“We discovered that he was an escapee from the Buiebi Jail (in Mendi). The settlers kept him in the settlement despite knowing that he was an escapee and now he has created a problem.”
Meanwhile, Kabwum community leaders at Limki last Thursday claimed that they were not involved the fight at Limki.
Leaders Justine Bau, Rodney Mukinere and Terry Wisam said the fight was between two factions of the Chimbu communities and they were victimised when their houses were torched.
Bau claimed the arsonists, escorted by police, entered the settlement and torched their houses.
Bau’s allegations were rejected by Lakatani. He said police only responded after the arson took place.
“Yes, I have received this report too,” Lakatani said.
“We are treating it as a complaint until investigations reveal that police were really involved,” he said.