Villagers help arrest trio

The National National
Acting officer-in-charge of Goroka Police Prosecution Sgt Albert Warkia with the Marlin Goose gun that was handed to police last week by community leaders from Ofafina village in Okapa, Eastern Highlands. – Nationalpic by ZACHERY PER

By ZACHERY PER
A FATHER and his two sons who were armed and ready to start a sorcery-related fight in Okapa, Eastern Highlands, were subdued by villagers last week and handed over to the authorities, police say.
Eastern Highlands police commander Supt Michael Welly confirmed the arrest of 45-year-old Ilevu Sani and sons Simon, 18, and Dansen Sani, 20, from Ofafina village in Okapa.
Supt Welly commended Ofafina village leaders for their efforts in holding the three men after they attempted to attack a village based on a sorcery accusation.
Ofafina community spokesman Ricky Soney said tensions rose after the death of a Goroka Technical College student.
During the mourning period, talks about sorcery being the cause of the man’s death began to surface.
Soney said a group of men surrounded their village and were planning to attack them, but were thwarted by the villagers who handed over the main instigators, the father and sons, to the police.
He said the group had a Marlin goose gun and claimed they were intending to use it in the attack, but were overpowered by villagers.
“We told them that we refuse to be part of any fighting as we were a community actively involved in religious and agricultural activities and wanted peace and harmony,” he said.
Supt Welly commended the leaders for their efforts, saying that such partnerships were needed in all levels of leadership to respect law and order and uphold peace.
“I have only three regular police officers based in Okapa to look after a population of more than 10,000 and efforts by the community to help are commended,” he said.
He told the Ofafina community representatives that they had set a good example for other communities in the province.
Supt Welly explained that the manner in which they handled the matter was according to law (citizen’s arrest) wherein citizens helped police by capturing and handing over lawbreakers to the police.
The three suspects are currently in custody at the Goroka Police Station cell awaiting their court appearance.