Horrific murder shocks Lae

NEWLY appointed chairman of Morobe’s Lands and Physical Planning Board Mr George Naemon was stabbed to death in a horrific attack last night in Lae.

The news sent shock-waves through the Lae community today as the young mechanical engineer who was appointed to the job only late last year was beginning to clamp down on illegal structures and obstructions at roadsides and public parks.

Naemon, from Kwahwie village in Yangoru, East Sepik province, was apparently attacked with a bayonet which struck him in the head and neck area. He died soon after from heavy loss of blood.

According to relatives in Lae, Naemon was in the company of other relatives at the Tapiok Club at Tent City re-settlement camp, when he was attacked by another group of people from Yangoru.

The attack was allegedly work-related, according to reliable sources.

The assailant is believed to be related to a Yangoru man who owned a property also in Tent City where Mr Naemon had issued instructions for a perimeter fence to be relocated as it encroached someone else’s property.

Several weeks ago, Naemon’s cousin was attacked over the same issue.

“We are very shocked and lost for words to hear of George Naemon’s killing,” a Morobe leader said from Lae today.

“He was a fine young man with his heart in the eight place … he was doing something the Morobeans were not able to do.”

An architect from Morobe province who worked with Naomen during his short time as chairman of the Lands and Physical Planning Board described his late colleague as a committed person who wanted nothing more than getting his job done properly and according to the rules and bylaws governing physical planning and town development.

“We are shocked and lost for words, Morobe has lost a great young man from Sepik who was here to help us,” he said.

Mr Naemon is married with several children.

He was the chief technical officer of the University of Technology’s Mechanical Engineering Department until his sacking a year ago over differences with his superiors.

He had sought re-dress through the National Court over his departure of Unitech, however, that case was still pending deliberation as he met his untimely fate – allegedly at the hands of his own Yangoru wantoks.