By Vasinatta Yama – EM TV News, Port Moresby
Four women were pack raped, and properties destroyed at Morata 1 in Port Moresby, just after midnight on New Year’s Day.
Waigani Police Station Commander, Inspector Micah Yosman, confirmed that the victims are from Erave in the Southern Highlands province.
Police are yet to establish the cause of the incident, and to identify those involved.
The youngest of the victims is an 11-year-old girl, who will be entering Grade Five this year. Another victim is a 13-year-old girl. She was raped and taken to the University of Papua New Guinea, and brought back home the following morning.
Another victim is a 29-year-old mother who has a five-year-old boy. She was raped in front of her son, when both tried to escape. The eldest victim is in her mid-50s. She could not escape when they entered her room.
The Erave Community told EMTV that more than 40 men ambushed them.
They were sleeping when the men came to attack them, and all they could hear was a group of men speaking in another language, as they attacked the community.
This morning, peace mediators from Morata went to Red Hill, where the Erave community resides.
The community wants the law to take its own course.
According to Waigani Police Station Commander, Inspector Micah Yosman, police did not respond quickly for two reasons.
Firstly, his two units were out on operation and those that were on standby, did not have any backup weapons.
He also said that there was heavy rain, and the road to the scene of the incident was blocked with stones and drums.
Meanwhile, the victims are out of hospital and have now returned home.
It’s been four days since the incident has happened but no police investigation has started as yet.
Inspector Yosman confirmed that police know the whereabouts of a few suspects, and he’s hopeful that arrests will be made this afternoon.
