Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has directed for a resolute and swift police investigation into the brutal killing of first year University of Technology (Unitech) in June 2016.
The late Graham Romanong was brutally murdered in June while he lay asleep in his room at the Unitech campus.
In doing so, O’Neill issued a prime ministerial directive for Police Commissioner Gari Baki’s personal commitment to fully investigate, arrest and prosecute all persons involved in planning, financing and eventual killing of the late young Graham in his room at Unitech, Lae on June 25 2016.
He assured the deceased’s relatives and a huge crowd on Monday August 1 at Umbimi village outside Mendi, the Southern Highlands capital, that all individuals who have involved directly or indirectly will have their day in court.
“Ol boys bai tok aut long husait givim order long kilim Graham”, (The boys will say who gave the orders to kill Graham),” O’Neill said referring to three Unitech students arrested in relation to that killing.
He told more than 5,000 people that those who masterminded, funded and orchestrated the death of late Graham were equally responsible and would be made accountable for their criminal acts.
O’Neill thanked the late Graham’s relatives, tribesman and the Kambiri people for not taking the law into their hands by seeking revenge.
“When Graham Romanong died you did not take revenge and I thank you for that. You acted in civilised manner and demonstrated leadership in containing what could have exploded into major ethnic conflict resulting loss of lives and destruction to properties.
“We can’t be like them (killers), because it is a primitive act, barbaric and animalistic behaviour,” the Prime Minister stressed.
O’Neill was accompanied by MPs for Imbonggu and Mendi, Francis Awesa and De Kewano respectively.
The MPs could not attend the actual burial ceremony because it took place during the week Parliament was meeting to deal with the vote of no-confidence motion on O’Neill, sponsored by the Opposition.
Picture: Umbimi - PM O’Neill (middle) and Imbonggu MP Francis Awesa (left) arriving with other leaders at Umbimi village outside Mendi town to address the relatives of slain Unitech student, the late Graham Romanong.