Pictured: Passengers alongside the bus that was forced off the road during the robbery.
By Alice Osii
A bus traveling to Wewak from Maprik was alleged to have been robbed by seven (7) armed men on the morning of Wednesday May 15, at a section of the Sepik Highway in Kubalia, East Sepik Province.
Sources from Tuonumbu and Haniak in Kubalia alleged that the armed men held up the bus near the Pasik bridge at the border of Haniak and Tuonumbu.
Mr. Peter Simbi, a local from the area said it was alleged that the seven armed men boarded the bus from Maprik and started attacking the passengers when the bus arrived at Pasik.
It was alleged the men started harassing the driver, his crew and the passengers. This led to the bus being forced off the road near Pasik bridge.
Simbi said it was also alleged that some of the passengers were inflicted wounds with knife and their personal belongings ransacked.
He said local police are currently conducting investigations into the alleged incident.
“The never ending and ongoing hold up, harassment and cutting of the innocent traveling public has caused considerable problems for us.” Simbi said.
“When will it stop?”
