Rude shock for teachers

National, Normal

TEACHERS marking Grade 12 examination papers at the Granville Hotel conference room had a rude shock on Monday night when a man running away from a group of thugs smashed into the room, sending tables, chairs and examination papers flying everywhere.
The Education Department had booked out the hotel for selected teachers to travel in from around the country to mark the examination papers.
They started work on Monday night.
Around 9.30pm, Simbu man Pius Dulume crashed through the door, as he tried to escape from a group of men who were chasing him.
He claimed they were armed, but the hotel security said last night that no one was armed.
Tables were overturned, papers were thrown everywhere, and panic-stricken teachers huddled in a corner, thinking they were under attack.
“I had no choice. I would be dead if I did not force my way into the room. I knocked down two tables, sending papers flying everywhere.
“Luckily none of the teachers who were knocked down were injured. I apologise to all of them,” Mr Dulume said.
Mr Dulume said he was pursued by a group of men who want him silenced because he is a principal witness and whistleblower in a corruption case in Simbu province.
He said the case implicated a politician and a senior officer with a resource company.
The two are being investigated in an alleged corrupt deal involving millions of kina that was paid to a construction company linked to them.
The company allegedly made millions of kina from contracts from the Government, but most work remains incomplete or yet to be done.
Mr Dulume said he had reported the attack to police.