Student killed over a phone

 By JUNIOR UKAHA

A STUDENT who refused to give his mobile phone to thugs was stabbed to death at a popular beachfront in Lae on Monday. 

Police said Muka Brian, 23, from Gumine, Chimbu, a Grade 11 student at the Bugandi Secondary School, was stabbed with a long, sharp weapon, by two men.

The killing happened about 50m from the Voco Point police station at around 1.30pm.

Brian had not been attending classes because of an inter-school fight last week in which one of his colleagues was killed and another injured at Eriku. 

Two policemen attached with the Lae City Council policing unit were manning the station when the killing took place. 

Reserve Sgt David Guyoro said when they returned to the station after a walk in the park, the thugs attacked Brian and a female companion.

“They held up the pair and later stabbed the victim after he refused to give in,” Guyoro said. 

“The weapon penetrated his collar bone and heart.”

Police said the terrified girl ran to a nearby company premises where security guards helped her.

“We were later alerted and attended the scene. The thugs unfortunately had fled,” Guyoro said.

One of the men involved in the killing was caught by police on Monday night at 11-Mile outside Lae and is being questioned, according to Brian’s relatives.

Brian’s uncle Pr Jacob Urri of the 4-Mile Nazarene church said the killing caught the family by surprise.

“We were lost for words. A totally innocent life was taken,” Urri said.