By PISAI GUMAR
A TWO-hour gun battle, allegedly between settlers from Mt Hagen in Western Highlands and the Lufa people from Goroka residing at Four Mile in Lae yesterday morning, marred what has been a peaceful festive season in the Morobean capital, The National reports.
Lae metropolitan commander Supt Nema Mondiai could not confirm the seriousness and the cause of the battle, including deaths, as he was awaiting a situation report from the police task force sent to contain the situation.
Reports said the incident had stemmed from an ongoing ethnic clash, which led to some deaths on both sides and the burning down of houses, last year.
Mondiai said it had become obvious that in today’s city ethnic conflicts, rival parties had resorted to the use of unlicensed firearms.
“People in communities are not reporting the suspects to police,” he said.
“To ensure justice, peace and harmony prevail within our families, neighbours and the community, let us all be responsible and work with agents of law and report people who possess unlicensed firearms to police.”
Meanwhile, armed hold-ups and sexual offences against women were rated the highest among other crimes in Lae last year.
This was followed by breaking and entering commercial buildings and shops, including planned robberies.
Mondiai noted that most robberies were inside jobs involving staff. Based on crime scene investigations, most of the robberies happened outside banks.
He called on companies to use police for security purposes when delivering daily or weekend takings for banking.
Lae ended last year with one reported wilful murder, two suspicious deaths, two armed hold-ups and two rape cases at various city locations.
Mondiai said a 45-year-old man from Gumine in Chimbu was murdered and dumped at the
A man was also shot and another wounded after police intervened and saved a man who was held at gunpoint at Three Mile.
Police said two girls were also raped at Five Mile and one of thesecondary schools in the city.
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