Settlement man claims being shot by security staff

A MAN has claimed he was shot and injured by guards from a security company following a confrontation in Lae last Sunday.

The clash between the settlers at 10-Mile and Guard Dog Security Services (GDSS) personnel occurred along the Highlands Highway at 10-Mile between 7pm and 8pm on Saturday night and re-ignited around 6am the next day. 

Morris Kate, 40, from Chuave, Chimbu, a community leader at 10-Mile, alleged that a guard from GDSS armed with a shot gun chased him from the 10- Mile field and fired a number of shots at him as he was fleeing from the fighting.   

“I stood in the middle of the field as a community leader trying to stop the fight but that particular guard ran towards me with a shotgun,” Kate said. 

“Fearing for my life, I ran but he kept chasing me.  I ducked for cover and shouted I am innocent but the guard shot at me and hit my back.”

Kate said he was rushed to Angau Hospital after being shot and doctors attended to him.  

“They removed nine pellets in my body while three still remain hidden inside,” Kate said. 

Wampar ward 12 councillor Isaac Tongia said another elderly man from Yangoru in East Sepik was hit by a GDSS vehicle and was admitted at the hospital.   

Tongia said at least five settlers were injured in the clash with a number of food gardens and market stalls being destroyed by guards. 

But GDSS general manager Peter Aigilo on Monday denied that his men had opened fire at the settlers on Sunday morning. 

Aigilo said the guards only used one firearm on Saturday night to disperse a mob of armed settlers who had tried to attack GDSS officers manning the Moale Trading and service station at 10-Mile.

“We did not use any firearms on Sunday morning,” Aigilo said.

“I was personally there because I was trying to go to church when my boys flagged me down because the settlers had stoned our vehicles,” Aigilo said. “We don’t arm our guards with firearms,” Aigilo said.

“The licensed firearms we carry have strict rules of use and are carried by highly trained officers,” he said.

“My boys only fired into the air to disperse the crowd,” Aigilo said.

Aigilo said the settlers had provoked the situation when they stoned six GDSS troop carriers returning to the barracks at 11-Mile after the night shift on Sunday morning. 

“That was when my boys reacted out of frustration,” Aigilo said.

Aigilo said the settlers were armed with homemade guns, wire catapults, stones, metals, bush knives, axes, bows and arrows and other weapons. 

“Seven of my guards sustained injuries and were admitted at the hospital,” Aigilo said.

“One of them was stabbed with a knife on his back,” Aigilo said.   

Police could not be reached for comment yesterday.