A young man with great pontential was murder by some sick animals who cannot be tamed.
By TODAGIA KELOLA
THE murder of a senior public servant in Port Moresby’s Gerehu suburb after a peace mediation meeting has raised tension between two ethnic groups.
Director of acquisition in the customary lands division of the Lands Department, Jacob Waffinduo, was killed, allegedly by Engans, after a meeting between his people from the East Sepik Province and the Engans on Sunday went wrong.
Gerehu police could not give the full details of the murder but station commander Steven Kapera said the two groups had met without informing his station on Sunday over a traffic accident last year where a girl from East Sepik was killed in an accident allegedly caused by the Engans.
“They were there to discuss and come up with a figure for compensation for the death of the girl from East Sepik but something must have gone wrong during their meeting resulting in the killing,” said Mr Kapera.
His men are investigating the killing and he has appealed to the Engans to come forward with information so that those responsible can be dealt with by the law.
Meanwhile, Secretary for Lands and Physical Planning Pepi Kimas has condemned the killing, describing it as the work of “sick animals”.
He said the nation’s capital is where people from all backgrounds and ethnical groups should work and live together as neighbours and not as enemies.
Mr Kimas said whatever the reason, no one had any power and or right to take someone else’s life.
“The country through its many agencies has provided avenues to address any issue. Killing a father and husband and person with many relatives is not the solution to addressing a problem,” he said.
“This act itself is that of animals without the reasoning power to differentiate the wrong from the right.
“The society does not need them and therefore cold blooded murderers should be condemned and locked up forever.”
