Madang

Officer in charge, Joan Manalau said the bottle shops in Madang town have been issued notice of the liquor ban.

She said the other shops outside of town have been informed and the police will be out there to make sure they adhere to the notice.

Manalau said there are some shops in Madang that are alcohol distributors and have been exempted to supply only to the hotels upon request. JKT limited, Andersons Foodland and Supreme Investment are the three approved distributors.

Mrs Munakara and fellow mothers from Ward 13 and 14 travelled to Bogia station to meet and exchange gifts with mothers from other villages, and show each other how important they are in the society.

Her decomposed body was discovered by locals three days later and reported to police.

Madang Provincial Police Commander Acting Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang said according to the investigation team, the young woman, identified as Rachael Andrew, was allegedly kidnapped, sexually assaulted and then killed. Her body was left at the crime scene. Her assailants are known to police.

Madang Provincial Police Commander Acting Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang said most of these deaths were murder cases while two were traffic accidents. He said the traffic accidents happened on Sunday April 17 and Friday April 15 along the section of the highway between Madang and Ramu.

According to Peter Sun, President of the Chinese Community in Madang, Chinese shops in Madang will be closed for three days.

Sun said the closure of the shops are in respect to the loss of countryman, Weng Yanqing, and also in to the first death anniversary of the country’s founding father Great Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. They will open after Monday 28^th February.

Police in Madang reported that Weng Yanqing from the Fujian Province was shot with a homemade staple gun at his workplace. Late Weng worked as the store manager for Wengs/Good Life Supermarket. Police alleged that the group of armed men entered the shop to commit robbery and shot the China man in the process. Police added that the incident happened late in the afternoon.

Police said medical staff at the Modilon Hospital confirmed his death when he was taken there. Weng’s body is now in the hospital mortuary.

Madang Provincial Police Commander Acting Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang said the men were alleged to have damaged three police vehicles, the police louvres and holding cell, and threw stones the Bogia Traffic Officers, two of whom sustained injuries.

The attack was in relation to the shooting death of 28-year-old Jerom Handuwi at Bogia Station. The policeman alleged to have shot and killed the Handuwi, has been arrested and charged with willful murder. He is being detained at the Jomba Police Station in Madang.

According to police reports, Late Daniel Kansol was shot on Monday morning (7^th February), while traveling in a PMV bus from Wawin National High School in Morobe. He was returning to Madang after delivering his children at the school. Armed criminals held up the PMV and its passengers at Belly Bridge.

Madang Provincial Police Commander Acting Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang said the deceased was from Western Highland Province. The shooting took place at 3am. Late Kansol was seated in the front of the bus when he was shot.

The lone survivor has spoken out about the ordeal that he and his passengers faced when the six armed men happened upon them on the evening of January 13.

Simea said they were all forced off the boat, and the armed robbers made off with the boat and belongings.

Simea recalled that around 3pm he left Madang Town with eight passengers for Saidor. He said while they were travelling towards Tabali Point, they saw another 23-footer boat some distance away. Passengers on that boat were signaling him to stop. It was about 5pm already.

The toughest is getting past Gawar Market and the Iguruwe section of the highway onto Lae or the Highlands provinces.

Police officers from Madang and Walium had been patrolling that section of the road making sure travelers are getting through safely, and assisting vehicles where they can.

According to passengers and police officers frequenting this highway, the road needs a machine to divert rain water to the side of the road so that the main road is dry and easy to pass through.