A 33-year-old man was killed over the weekend in Manus after a land related dispute turned nasty between two parties.
Manus provincial police commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said a group of men attacked the deceased, Thomas Soongkombek, on Saturday (November 18) with a piece of timber and hit him on his forehead.
The fight took place at Ndrehet village in PNKA LLG, Lorengau between 1pm and 2pm.
“The deceased sustained a fracture to his brain. He was transported to Bundralis Health Centre but died upon arrival.
“His body was transported by boat to Manus Provincial Hospital and place in morgue for autopsy,” he said.
Four suspects have been arrested and in police custody as CID continue investigations.
PPC Yapu says the situation is quiet but tense and police are monitoring the situation.
He is appealing to locals to take up their land issues with appropriate authorities instead of taking the law into their own hands.
“We have received lots of reports on land issues but because we do not have jurisdiction to deal with them, we refer them to appropriate authorities,” he added.
(Pictured is the temporary Lorengau police station)