Two tragic deaths have marred an otherwise peaceful New Year celebration in the nation’s capital.
The deaths, described by NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Perou N’Dranou as ‘criminal intent gone wrong’, occurred in the early hours of this morning.
Police received a call at around 2am regarding an alleged robbery by a group of over 10 men at a shop at Gordon’s market.
Chief Superintendent N’Dranou said it was “either a robbery or break-and-enter that went wrong.”
In the downpour, the men hastily escaped over the roof of a neighbouring shop called ‘Local Fastfood’ but unfortunately, one of their members’ midriff got lacerated in the process.
It proved to be a strenuous exercise for firefighters as they navigated the slippery roof to bring the man’s body down, whose guts were visibly exposed to media and police personnel who were standing a few metres away.
Police found on his person a homemade gun that had no bullets in it.
The other death occurred not long after the Gordon’s incident.
“The Gerehu one was the result of a car theft that eventually led to a confrontation, where the alleged offender was knifed and lost his life,” stated N’Dranou.
Both bodies were immediately taken to the Port Moresby General Hospital.
(Firefighters and police officers at the scene early this morning at Gordon’s)