Villagers assault, bite businessman

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
VILLAGERS have allegedly assaulted and bit an Asian businessman when he confronted them to pay up K400 for the food they had taken from his store in a remote area of Western, according to North Fly police commander Supt Silva Sika.
“The villagers had taken food from his store on credit at Wangawanga village in Middle Fly as they were under lockdown for the Covid-19 and were unable travel to Kiunga to buy food,” he said.
“When the Asian businessman went to them to pay up, they attacked and bit him.”
Supt Sika said the villagers accused him of taking the side of the Asian businessman.
The villagers had accused Supt Sika of not arresting the Asian businessman for allegedly discharging a firearm at them.
However, Supt Sika said that the Asian did not shoot anyone last week.
“He was only defending (himself),” he said.
“If he didn’t fire his licenced firearm in the air to scare them from harming him, he would have been seriously injured or surely died because he was bitten by some villagers.”