Victim’s family thanked for letting law takes it course

 POLICE have thanked the relatives of a man allegedly killed by police at Paiam, Porgera, Enga, for allowing the law to take its course.

Provincial police commander acting Superintendent George Kakas told The National that after the killing last Thursday afternoon, the relatives refused to retaliate

Kakas said it was something new because people from the area normally took advantage of such situations to retaliate against police.

“I thank the tribesmen of the late Wilson Pepa from his mother’s and father’s sides, the Angakio and Epea, for allowing law to take its course,” he said.

He said the situation was tense last Thursday when he went up to Porgerato talk to the relatives with local MP Nixon Mangape.

He told the relatives that an independent investigation team from Wabag was investigating the killing.

Kakas said the relatives were blaming police for shooting to death Pepa when soldiers and police officers were chasing a group of drunkards armed with a gun.

He said police arrested some drunkards and confiscated a home-made gun. 

Thirty minutes later, the relatives brought his body and dumped it at the Paiam police station.

He said the relatives demanded K600,000 in compensation.