Youth wounded in payback attack

 By PISAI GUMAR

A COMMUNITY in Morobe south coast, Huon Gulf, has turned against a youth, wounding him seriously for alleged attempted murder of an elderly man.

Village leaders from Kobo and councillor Mark Wanu captured the youth after news spread that he had attempted to murder Karemo Aidua from the neighbouring Dona village with a bush knife.

Aidua received deep knife wounds to his right neck.

Both the youth and the old man are in critical condition at the Zaka health centre.

Morobe council president Michael Gape said that Zaka health centre had run out of basic antibiotics to treat its patients.

The Lutheran health service facility is the only centre that serves nearly 5,000 people from Zia, Yekora, Mawae and Binadere in the Morobe south coast area bordering Oro along the coast and inland Waria to Garaina.

“The drug supplies room at Zaka has run short,” said Gape.

Gape said that Aidua was attacked after the youth and his accomplices, all young boys, stole betelnuts and tobacco leaves from elsewhere and while passing his garden, demanded more from him.

When he said he did not have any, he was attacked by the youth, Gape said.

A planned retaliatory attack by Aidua’s relatives from Zare Aingse and Dona was stopped by Kobo village councillor Wanu and elders.

But the community, fed up with wanton destruction to property and attacks on vulnerable people, searched for the youth and bashed him up severely.

Gape added that law and order problem was worsening and needed immediate police attention.

He admitted that the police station lacked proper septic and water supply but added that the sub-district had already allocated K150,000 for works to be done immediately to get police personnel to move in.