A senior village court official in Morobe is dead following an alleged robbery incident last week at Bumayong.
John Cedric, a village court inspector at the time of his death, was alleged to be stabbed in the process of being robbed off his phone and other belongings by four men.
Late Cedric passed away last Wednesday at the Angau Memorial Hospital.
Since the death of the late village court inspector, community leaders in the area have managed to identify two suspects, who are now in police custody.
Last week, landowners and police met with the family of the deceased at the Yamandi community, to come up with a compromise on how to further handle the situation.
The deceased hails from from Menyamya and leaves behind his wife and three children.
His relatives turned up frustrated at last week’s meeting. They alleged that this was not the first time a public servant from Menyamya has lost his life over law and order issues in the area.
“We Menyamya people are not your emenies. We are part of Morobe and Lae is our city too, that’s why we have come to settle here. But we are treated like strangers and are been attacked by our own brothers here in Morobe,” said one of the Menyamya community leader, Johnathon Naimen.
Late John Cedric, was allegedly held up and later stabbed in the chest by four men while taking a short cut home at around 6 to 7 last week Monday night at Bumayong.
A close friend of his, Samuel Yamandi, who claims to have called him earlier that afternoon to meet, said he was waiting for the deceased at the road junction when he heard a shout a few meters from where he was.
He ran down the track and saw the deceased stumbling towards him with a knife in his chest. Yamandi rushed his friend to the hospital that night (last week Monday). His friend however succumbed to the knife wound on Wednesday.
Landowner in the area, Kapas Poang said he will stand by his laws for settlers that anyone who engages in unlawful activities will be evicted.
Poang said the suspects and their family will be evicted.
Meanwhile, Lae Metropolitan Police Commander, Chief Inspector Chris Kunyanban said last week Friday that investigations have commenced into the case and charges will be laid on the two suspects soon.
Police are working closely with community leaders at Bumayong to apprehend the other two suspects who are still at large.
By Sharlyne Eri, EMTV News, Lae.
