Wau fight suspects in custody

FOUR suspects allegedly involved in the fight between settlers from Finschhafen and Mumeng in Wau, Bulolo, Morobe, which started on March 27 are in police custody, an official says.
Morobe police commander Supt Jacob Singura said the four main suspects were charged for various offences including wilful murder, arson and destruction of properties worth thousands of kina.
“Others charged with summary offences appeared in the Bulolo District Court,” he said.
“Some were fined and released while others were convicted for various offences they were charged with.”
Singura said investigations into the incident were ongoing.
The deadly feud between Finschhafen and Mumeng settlers started after a domestic incident between a couple.
The ensuing fight led to more than 100 houses burned, several lives lost while families from both sides were left homeless.
Singura said police investigators would round up the main suspects and charge them and police would work with both sides to ensure peace was maintained in Wau.
Meanwhile, a mediation between villages of Wain Erap in Nawaeb and settlers of Chimbu living at Boana turn-off along the main Highlands Highway yesterday concluded with K10,000 and 10 pigs paid for the death of a Chimbu man.
This comes after the burning down of houses and other properties as well as killing of a Chimbu man allegedly by some villagers of Wain Erap on May 16.
According to Singura, a man from a village in Wain Erap, was found dead on the afternoon of May 15 at a creek at the back of Erap’s boys’ town.
“The Wain Erap villagers suspected that the Chimbu’s was responsible for the death and retaliated violently which saw houses, trade stores attacked and a man killed and burned in his own trade store.”
Singura said the Chimbu settlers demanded that Wain Erap people pay K10, 000 and 10 pigs today for the repatriation of the body to Chimbu.
He said police would investigate both killings and destruction of property and make arrests and lay charges on those involved.