Trio charged with murder of relative

THREE youths, two of them high school students, who were accused of murder in Mt Hagen three weeks ago, have been formally charged with murder.
Western Highlands police commander Supt Kaiglo Ambane said the suspects from Kuglmump village outside Mt Hagen appeared for mention before the Mt Hagen District Court yesterday and had their case read to them.
He said the wilful murder that happened on Nov 12 was sparked by an ongoing family dispute in which the youths attacked one of their own family members.
The suspects will appear before the courts at a later date.
The two high school students joined their uncle and allegedly murdered his elder brother, Tony Kapi Makap, reportedly using bush knives.
According to reports, they had gone into the deceased’s house and chopped him to death in the presence of his wife and two sons, aged three and one.
The two students were doing  Grades Nine and 10 this year and were late Kapi’s elder brother’s sons, while the other suspect was the deceased’s younger brother.
The incident had allegedly taken place while Kapi and his family were trying to light a fire at their home.
The suspects had then allegedly set fire to the house but that was put out by tribesmen who rushed to the scene after hearing Kapi’s screams.
The tribesmen also took Kapi’s body to the Mt Hagen General Hospital and placed at the hospital morgue.