The haus krai (house of mourning) of the late University of Technology (Unitech) student, Graham Romanong, who was mercilessly murdered on June 25, ended last Saturday (July 16) with relatives receiving cash, pigs and other livestock.
The event at Wakwak, at the outskirts of Southern Highlands' capital Mendi, was marked with speeches by relatives of the late Graham as well as community and government representatives.
In recent weeks, various leaders from the province have turned up in numbers to give their share of money, livestock and foodstuff to the deceased’s family, relatives and tribe.
Last Saturday, the relatives received K30,000 in cash and 25 pigs, prices ranging from K5,000 to K15,000, from the people and leaders of Imbonggu district.
On behalf of Imbonggu MP Francis Awesa, local level government presidents, community and government representatives as well as family and friends participated in the events.
Spokesman Richard Awesa, son of MP Awesa, apologised to the gathering and explained that the minister was absent because of the current political events at the national level.
Elder brother of the late Graham, Anjeles Romanong, thanked Minister Awesa and the Imbonggu district administration and all others who had contributed in one way or another to the whole haus krai.
Imbonggu district’s contribution to the haus krai last Saturday was in addition to K37,000 Minister Awesa spent, from his own pocket, to hire buses to rescue Southern Highlands and Hela university students from Lae and Goroka on June 16.
Awesa has condemned, in the strongest term possible, the chaotic situation at Unitech and subsequent brutal killing of the late Graham and destruction of millions of kina worth of property.
He maintained that if the Unitech administration and Lae police took proactive and preventive measures, there would not have been a loss of life and destruction to public property.
Awesa has called for the removal of Unitech vice-chancellor Dr Albert Schram and Lae Metropolitan police boss, Anthony Wagambie Jr.
(Pigs lined up by Imbonggu district people and their leaders to be handed over to late Graham Romanong’s family, relatives and tribe at Wakwak, outside Mendi town.)