Theo Abal charged with wilful murder

By JUNIOR UKAHA

 

Theo Abal, the 21-year-old adopted son of acting Prime Minister Sam Abal, has been charged by police with one count of wilful murder for killing a 29-year-old waitress at his father’s Konedobu home last Monday, The National reports.

He was charged last Friday.

NCD police chief Joseph Tondop said Theo Abal would make his first appeareance in court today on the murder count.

“After all evidence was considered, he was formally charged with one count of murder,” Tondop said.

Police said a 15cm kitchen knife found about 10m from the crime scene had been tendered as evidence.

The victim, identified only by her first name as Theresa, from Kaiti village, Kerema in Gulf, died from a slit throat. 

Tondop said the woman’s relatives went to the Port Moresby General Hospital morgue last Friday and identified her.

Relatives of the deceased brushed aside claims that the acting prime minister’s security had been stepped up in fear of retaliatory attacks.

 “We do not want to create another problem, another killing and bloodshed,” the family said in a statement.

“We are peace-loving people who see payback killing and bloodshed as acts of the past.”

Tondop said the suspect had been denied bail.

He said the suspect has been charged in relation to a serious crime and police would not release him.

“Theo Abal is still detained at the Boroko police cell awaiting his first court appearance today,” Tondop said.

No motive had been established.

Theo Abal was picked up by police from the Ponderosa Family Hotel last Monday, two days after the killing.

He is from Pawas village, Wabag, Enga.