The taking of innocent lives, described by police as ‘guerilla type war’, is a chronic disease in Engan society, says Enga Provincial Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop.
He said the style of revenge killing was practiced in the past and does not reflect changes that are happening now in the Criminal Justice System in PNG.
Enga’s Police boss made this remark when addressing tribal leaders from Winikos village in Kombiam, after a man from the Pinai tribe was shot dead, allegedly by Wangin tribe members, on March 11.
Three teenage boys were also allegedly shot by the same tribe after the initial shooting.
This includes the deceased’s 12-year-old son and his 17-year-old cousin, while nine others sustained bullet wounds and were taken to the Kompiam hospital.
PPC Tondop urged community leaders to surrender the suspects in the village to police.
Rural Commander, Senior Inspector Epenes Nili, expressed the same sentiment, highlighting police carried out a mass arrest of 26 that prevented a previous tribal fight between Sambe and Yawain tribes of the same village.
Nili said the killing of these three innocent Pinai men in relation to this is a direct attack on law as the case is still in court.
He added that work of the police is to apprehend and bring suspects to the law and it is the court’s jurisdiction to determine whether the suspect is guilty or not.