By Jim John
Community leaders in Daru Island, South Fly District of Western Province are calling on all residents not to take the law into their own hands.
They made this call following the killing of a teenage boy from Tureture corner which is one of the settlements in Daru Island.
This incident instigated the youths residing in Daru town to mobilize and rampage public and private properties.
According to Chairman of Tureture corner Napolean Mapo, the deceased is one of the top divers in the community and his sudden death has brought sadness to relatives, family members and the community as a whole.
He says on Saturday evening, April 8th 2023, the deceased was out with his friends at sea to operate the dinghy to travel to Kadawa village on the other side of Daru Island and in the act of doing so in open sea the incident happened.
“Two dinghies collided, the other was on top of the dinghy the deceased was skippering. The deceased fell into the sea and propellers of the 60-power horse engine cut his chest and he died instantly,” said the Chairman.
“Early Sunday morning, the relatives and family members were waiting for their son to arrive home but only to hear of his passing.”
Mr Mapo says the grieving relatives are still not settled and are asking the community leaders and police officers to find out who was on board with the deceased to Kadawa village on Saturday.
The body of the deceased is now at the morgue in Daru General Hospital.
The situation is still tense at the moment and all community leaders are currently mobilizing to bring normalcy to communities in Daru and to bring some understanding to allow the law to take its full cause.
Provincial Police Commander for North Fly Command Senior Inspector Oena Afeke says police officers are currently on the ground monitoring this situation.
He says investigations are currently in progress.
PPC Afeke has also called on all residents in Daru Island not to damage public properties and maintain peace as investigation continues.
