Zia villagers told to abide by law

 A GOVERNMENT officer in charge at Morobe patrol post has warned men from the seven Zia villages not to take the law into their own hands after the killing of a woman.

The woman was reportedly killed by her husband on Boxing Day.

The officer, council manager Essing Ulam had given the warning after visiting the villages involved in the fight.

The fight started when a Zia man from Dona was accused of killing his wife, who is from the neighbouring Kobo village.

The man, in his mid-40s and believed to have been a former company executive, was interviewed by Ulam on Monday at the Zaka Lutheran Health centre.

He had been bed-ridden with injuries sustained from attacks by his wife’s relatives and could not speak coherently.

Ulam said yesterday that he was awaiting a police report to continue the investigation.

He said he had told the relatives of the deceased and other opportunists from Zare, Aingse, Saigara, Dona, Kobo, Wainsoduna and Sowara villages to refrain from instigating further problems.

Fierce fighting had erupted on Monday between the villages.

The situation was brought under control by ward councillors and leaders from nearby villages and Morobe 

council president Michael Gape on Sunday.