​Unitech parties had agreed to reconcile until surprise attack

Lae police are supervising the movement of the University of Technology students as they remove their personal belongings from their rooms.

Students have been directed by the administration to vacate the campus due to the incident during the weekend where buildings were burnt down and a student killed.

 

According to Lae metropolitan superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jnr, the police have met with the relatives of the deceased, who came down from Mendi. They have assured them of thorough investigations into the brutal killing of the first year student.

Wagambie Jnr says when they were initially invited into the campus last week, the general atmosphere had returned to normal and there was a sense of peace and movement amongst the general student population.

"The students involved in the previous clash had agreed to and were to have a peace reconciliation ceremony. There was guarantee given by leaders and students on campus that there will not be any retaliatory attacks and they were looking forward to the peace reconciliation," Wagambie Jnr says.

This assurance however, was not honoured and it is now clear that some of the individuals did not want peace.

The attack that happened on Saturday night came as a surprise to everyone, both staff and students.

"The deceased was attacked in his room where he was singled out and could not get help quickly from the other students, passing away after sustaining the injuries," says Wagambie Jnr.

The metropolitan superintendent has talked to student leaders and relatives of the late student to ensure that those who witnessed the crime would come forward and give statements to police.

Wagambie Jnr appeals to the student leaders of the other faction to cooperate with police when the statements and identities of the suspects are given to police.

"We are maintaining close dialogue with representatives of the Southern Highlands students so that we can compile proper statements which will identify the exact suspects involved and the part that they played in the crime," he said.

 

Author: 
Annette Kora